A Day for Rememberin': The First Memorial Day
- Downloads：4712
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-06-07 01:31:16
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Leah Henderson
- ISBN：1419736302
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Kelly
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Eli narrates this story of Memorial Day's roots well; I love that the focus is on him and his family。 newly freed slaves。 There are a few well-deserved jabs at angry white men， and there are some "casual comments" such as why Eli must focus on school first that could be plumbed for those who are interested in learning more。 The artwork is lovely， and the message is informative， enlightening， and powerful。 The author's note and origin information for Decoration Day provide further context for the Eli narrates this story of Memorial Day's roots well; I love that the focus is on him and his family。 newly freed slaves。 There are a few well-deserved jabs at angry white men， and there are some "casual comments" such as why Eli must focus on school first that could be plumbed for those who are interested in learning more。 The artwork is lovely， and the message is informative， enlightening， and powerful。 The author's note and origin information for Decoration Day provide further context for the story。 。。。more
Edward Sullivan
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In an emotionally affecting narrative， Henderson imagines the celebration of the first Decoration Day in Charleston， South Carolina with typically stunning illustrations by Floyd Cooper。
Cara Byrne
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Floyd Cooper is blowing me away with his picture books this year！ Like _Unspeakable_， this is another important book that helps give new significance to Memorial Day。 It's a bit text-heavy， so great for elementary school readers。 Floyd Cooper is blowing me away with his picture books this year！ Like _Unspeakable_， this is another important book that helps give new significance to Memorial Day。 It's a bit text-heavy， so great for elementary school readers。 。。。more
Anthony
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Inspired reading， as told through the eyes and voice of young Eli， based on the original Decoration Day of May 1， 1865 when ten-thousand newly freed enslaved people， abolitionists， and others decorated the graves of 257 fallen Union soldiers at the Washington Race Course in Charleston， SC。 An interesting look at the little known origins and history， of this holiday and its important significance。
Dee Dee G
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A lot of adults should read this。
Alice
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5 stars for this story about the likely origins of Decoration Day
Sarahs Reads ToKids
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I enjoy reading children's picture books to my children。 Not only do my children learn something new but so do I。 And I really enjoy learning something new。 Especially when it is so beautifully illustrated。 The story is told from a son's perspective about what he saw and did that very first Memorial Day in Charleston， SC。 In the back of the book there is a lot of information about what inspired the author to write this story along with information about Charleston's very first decoration day。 Wh I enjoy reading children's picture books to my children。 Not only do my children learn something new but so do I。 And I really enjoy learning something new。 Especially when it is so beautifully illustrated。 The story is told from a son's perspective about what he saw and did that very first Memorial Day in Charleston， SC。 In the back of the book there is a lot of information about what inspired the author to write this story along with information about Charleston's very first decoration day。 While this is a perfect book to read this Memorial Day weekend， I believe this is actually a great book to read any time of year。 。。。more
Elisabeth
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A fictional retelling of one of the origins of Memorial Day。 Beautifully illustrated and written。
Mutually Inclusive
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This beautiful picture book is a fictionalized account of a true historical event that many believe to be the first celebration of Memorial Day。 Though today we honor veterans of all wars， Memorial Day began as Decoration Day in Charleston， South Carolina when newly freed citizens marched to honor the Union soldiers who fought for their freedom in the Civil War。During the Civil War， the Confederate Army converted the Washington Race Course in Charleston into a prison。 They imprisoned captured Un This beautiful picture book is a fictionalized account of a true historical event that many believe to be the first celebration of Memorial Day。 Though today we honor veterans of all wars， Memorial Day began as Decoration Day in Charleston， South Carolina when newly freed citizens marched to honor the Union soldiers who fought for their freedom in the Civil War。During the Civil War， the Confederate Army converted the Washington Race Course in Charleston into a prison。 They imprisoned captured Union soldiers and subjected them to inhumane treatment。 Though the prison was only open for seven months， 257 Union prisoner died there due to exposure， disease， and starvation。Shortly after the end of the civil war， twenty-eight newly freed men volunteered their time and labor to create a permanent resting place for the Union soldiers who fought for their freedom。 On May 1， 1865， the first free May Day – in a time when Black people weren’t allowed to congregate freely – 10，000 Charleston residents gathered to march， sing， and spread flower petals to honor the lives of those soldiers。 While some may not agree with Leah Henderson’s assertation that this was the first Memorial Day celebration， it’s hard to argue with the dates。In A Day For Rememberin’ we follow ten-year-old Eli， a （fictional） son of one of the men who worked to build the cemetery。 Eli longs to join his father in his work， but he must attend school， now that he has the freedom to do so。 On the tenth day， Eli and other boys his age are allowed to help whitewash the fence。 The next day， newly freed citizens， abolitionists， missionaries， and more all gather at the racecourse to honor the fallen soldiers。A Day For Rememberin’ is an essential history lesson with a whole lot of heart。 The back matter contains a fantastic Author’s Note， further detail about the history of Decoration Day， and a timeline。 I would highly recommend this title for classrooms and school libraries。The illustrations by Floyd Cooper are fantastic。 They perfectly capture Eli and all the residents of Charleston， taking readers back in time。Leah Henderson is an award-winning author of multiple titles for young readers， including one of my personal favorites: The Teacher’s March。 Please visit Leah’s website at leahhendersonbooks。com。Floyd Cooper is the award-winning author and illustrator of Max and The Tag Along Moon， Jump， and many other children’s books。 To learn more about Floyd and his work， please visit his website at floydcooper。com。Thank you so much to Abrams Books For Young Readers for sharing a review copy of A Day For Rememberin’ with me。 I am so honored to share this story with my readers today。Blog | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads | Storygraph 。。。more
Alex Baugh
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Most of us don't really know much about Memorial Day except that it's a time when we honor those who lost their lives in combat defending United States and the democratic principles upon which it was founded。 And maybe some of us know that it was originally called Decoration Day， a day when families would go to the cemetery with flags and flowers to place on the graves of their fallen loved ones。 But how many of us know about the origin of Memorial Day？Well， now Leah Henderson has explored this Most of us don't really know much about Memorial Day except that it's a time when we honor those who lost their lives in combat defending United States and the democratic principles upon which it was founded。 And maybe some of us know that it was originally called Decoration Day， a day when families would go to the cemetery with flags and flowers to place on the graves of their fallen loved ones。 But how many of us know about the origin of Memorial Day？Well， now Leah Henderson has explored this question and has written a picture book for older readers that tells the story of one such origin and has chosen Eli， the ten-year-old son of formerly enslaved parents， as the narrator。 It's 1865 and the Civil has ended with the Confederate surrender。 And for nine days， Eli has wondered where his Papa goes to so early every day。 Eli imagines him doing all kinds of things， but he isn't allowed to follow Papa because he is going to school， and as his mother reminds him， "。。。you have the hard earned right to learn。。。Masters locked away learning 'cause knowledge is its own freedom。" Finally， though， on day ten， Papa wakes Eli up early and they join a procession of other formerly enslaved men and boys and head to the Charleston， South Carolina racetrack， once used for the entertainment white plantation owners。 During the Civil War， the racetrack had become a prison where Confederates put captured Union soldiers， who were starved and treated so badly that even the enslaved women would try to sneak the men whatever morsels they could spare。 Eli discovers that the men have been working to create a cemetery for the 257 dead Union soldiers who had been held in the racetrack。 And it's here that Eli has a paintbrush put in his hands to help whitewash a fence with the other children。 The next day， Eli is up early again， and heads out with his parents to join the procession other Black families heading to the racetrack， now a cemetery。 Eli proudly carries the American flag， and the women carry flowers with which to decorate the newly dug graves。 While this may be a work of historical fiction， the cemetery， called the Martyrs of the Race Track that was created in Charleston， South Carolina by formerly enslaved men， women， and children， is considered by some scholars to be the first observance of Decoration Day， later renamed Memorial Day。 In her Author's Note， Henderson writes that she was inspired to write to story after seeing a photograph of about "200 Black children getting ready for what looked like a parade。" Curiosity sparked， research led Henderson to the cemetery in Charleston， South Carolina， where she learned that the Decoration Day parade to the former racetrack included over 10，000 newly freed enslaved people were led by about 3，000 Black children。 Henderson chose the fictional Eli and his parents to tell their story。A Day for Rememberin' is such a poignant story about how one community honored the men who they believed fought for them， but also， as Eli reminds readers， about the fear that enslaved people lived with every day， wondering if their loved one would come home at the end of the day， or be sold to someone without their knowing。 And who better to illustrate this moving， affective story than Floyd Cooper。 Using his signature method of oil erasure in earth tones of yellows and browns seems somehow so perfect for this story。 The hazy effect of this method doesn't diminish the details and the closeups of people faces really captures their different emotions。 Besides the Author's Note， back matter includes a short essay on The Roots of Decoration Day， a Timeline of Decoration Day/Memorial Day， a list of other cities claiming to be the birthplace of Memorial Day， Endnotes， and a Select Bibliography。 Full disclosure: I read a digital watermarked ARC received from the publisher。This book is recommended for readers age 7+ 。。。more
Stefanie Kellum
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*I read a digital ARC of this title from the publisher。
Amy
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A fictionalized story of a real event that is considered to be the first Memorial Day celebration held in Charleston， South Caroline in 1865。 This is a beautiful story about a little boy and his family who participate in the events that happened that day and remind us of the importance of remembering and honoring those that have truly "given the last full measure of devotion" （Lincoln， Gettysburg Address）。 A fictionalized story of a real event that is considered to be the first Memorial Day celebration held in Charleston， South Caroline in 1865。 This is a beautiful story about a little boy and his family who participate in the events that happened that day and remind us of the importance of remembering and honoring those that have truly "given the last full measure of devotion" （Lincoln， Gettysburg Address）。 。。。more
Barbara
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I've always been impressed by the oil erasure illustrations of Floyd and their ability to capture human emotions so effectively。 In this picture book about a special day whose original meaning seems to have been lost， he does not disappoint in his artistic renderings。 The holiday we now call Memorial Day was once known as Decoration Day and marked the loss of those who died during the Civil War。 While there is controversy about where the first Memorial Day celebration was held， this picture book I've always been impressed by the oil erasure illustrations of Floyd and their ability to capture human emotions so effectively。 In this picture book about a special day whose original meaning seems to have been lost， he does not disappoint in his artistic renderings。 The holiday we now call Memorial Day was once known as Decoration Day and marked the loss of those who died during the Civil War。 While there is controversy about where the first Memorial Day celebration was held， this picture book describes what might have been the initial one held in Charleston， South Carolina。 Ten-year-old Eli is excited to skip school for one day in order to join his father in refurbishing the cemetery and fashioning a final resting place for those 257 Union soldiers who died fighting for liberty。 On the following day， Eli and his family are joined 10，000 newly-liberated slaves and abolitionists to pay tribute to those men。 Once a racecourse， then a holding place for war prisoners， the area has been transformed into a place to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for a just cause。 The author has a great ear for dialogue and Southern dialect as she chooses to omit some of the final letters and use terms common during that era--1865--by regular folks like Eli and his parents。 She also inserts lines from songs expressing sorrow amid images that offer hope。 Both parents are keenly aware of the importance of literacy and an education。 Because of the high price others have paid so that boys such as Eli can attend school， only a very special occasion would prompt his absence。 As have others， I've often reminded my students that becoming educated is a revolutionary act。 This book reminds readers of the changes that have occurred in this country， how far we've come and how far we still have to go， and it surely is a somber reminder of the conflict that tore it apart centuries ago。 I am hard pressed to pick out a favorite illustration， but I especially loved the double-page spread showing the men who've been working so hard to make this area attractive as a tribute to those who have died as they lift up their voices。 I also was blown away by the double-page spread filled with tombstones， rows and rows of tombstones， marking the enormous loss of life during the war。 Not only did this book reshape my understanding of Memorial Day， but it also taught me about the respect those former slaves had for those who helped liberate them。 Obviously， it's a good choice for a classroom social studies or history library or collection or to add to a text set on civil rights。 。。。more
Jacqui
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3。5
Jessica
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This stunning tribute to the first memorial day crescendos into celebrations and ends with a quiet and poetic finish。
Andréa
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Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss。
Kristin
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Beautiful and powerful art。 Poignant lines and lyrical language。 A thoroughly researched celebration of the backstory to Decoration Day， complete with sources and historical photos in the author's note。 Highly recommended for classroom libraries。 Beautiful and powerful art。 Poignant lines and lyrical language。 A thoroughly researched celebration of the backstory to Decoration Day， complete with sources and historical photos in the author's note。 Highly recommended for classroom libraries。 。。。more
Leigh
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Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss+ for the e-ARC of this book。This is a beautifully illustrated telling of the first Memorial Day。 I think this would be a perfect addition to many classroom libraries。
Hannah
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