Martyrs of the Racetrack: The First Memorial Day

Before Memorial Day became a holiday of barbecues and long weekends, one of the first known Memorial Day ceremonies was held by former slaves in Charleston, South Carolina.In 1865, newly freed Black Americans honored fallen Union soldiers who died fighting against slavery by giving them proper burials and holding a massive remembrance ceremony.This is the forgotten story of how Memorial Day began — and the powerful connection between freedom, sacrifice, and remembrance in American history. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rejil.substack.com