Memorial Day

Winston Churchill is often quoted saying: “History is written by the victors,” and while it is true that our nation’s history has been told overwhelmingly from the perspective of straight, white, cis-male folks of means, those who have been marginalized, disenfranchised, have always found ways to remember and tell their stories.  Those stories, though, have almost universally been drowned out by the dominant narrative. On this Memorial Day Sunday, we reflect on the roots of Memorial Day and its meaning within the context of our commitment to theological diversity and radical hospitality.

The 21st Colored Infantry along with the 54th Massachusetts and the 34th and 104th United States Colored Troops held a celebration on May 1, 1865, the first “Decoration Day,” which later became Memorial Day.