Memorial Day became a federal holiday observed nationwide on a Monday in 1971.
The change took effect under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved several federal holidays to Mondays to create more three-day weekends. Memorial Day had previously been observed on May 30, regardless of the day of the week.
The Monday observance was intended to provide regular holiday weekends and support travel and recreation. It did not change the holiday’s central purpose: honoring U.S. service members who died while serving in the military.
Memorial Day is often confused with Veterans Day. Memorial Day honors military personnel who died in service, while Veterans Day honors all people who served in the U.S. armed forces, living or deceased. The holiday is also distinct from Armed Forces Day, which recognizes people currently serving.