05/25/2026
In 1870, General James B. McKean spoke at a Memorial Day ceremony in New York City. He concluded with the words: “We are told by those who can see and hear more than others can, that flowers have language, and that the stars make music…Bring then the flowers with the sweetest breath and the most cheerful voices…we, comrades, will join our less musical, but not discordant, voices with theirs, in ‘Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty.’”
https://blogs.loc.gov/families/2024/05/exploring-memorial-day-past-and-present/