<P> The four - day "Blue - Gray Reunion" featured parades, re-enactments, and speeches from a host of dignitaries, including President Woodrow Wilson, the first Southerner elected to the White House after the War . James Heflin of Alabama gave the main address . Heflin was a noted orator; His choice as Memorial Day speaker was criticized, as he was opposed for his support of segregation; however, his speech was moderate in tone and stressed national unity and goodwill, gaining him praise from newspapers . </P> <P> Since the cemetery dedication at Gettysburg occurred on November 19, that day (or the closest weekend) has been designated as their own local memorial day that is referred to as Remembrance Day . </P> <P> The preferred name for the holiday gradually changed from "Decoration Day" to "Memorial Day," which was first used in 1882 . Memorial Day did not become the more common name until after World War II, and was not declared the official name by Federal law until 1967 . On June 28, 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved four holidays, including Memorial Day, from their traditional dates to a specified Monday in order to create a convenient three - day weekend . The change moved Memorial Day from its traditional May 30 date to the last Monday in May . The law took effect at the federal level in 1971 . After some initial confusion and unwillingness to comply, all 50 states adopted Congress' change of date within a few years . </P> <P> Memorial Day endures as a holiday which most businesses observe because it marks the unofficial beginning of summer . The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) advocate returning to the original date, although the significance of the date is tenuous . The VFW stated in a 2002 Memorial Day Address: </P>

When did memorial day become a national holiday