The city of Charleston will commemorate the first Memorial Day on May 31.
That first observance took place 145 years ago, just weeks after the Civil War ended, at what is now Hampton Park.
The event, set to take place at the park, will begin with the presentation of the colors by the 54th Massachusetts Regiment re-enactors. They will represent the first African-American regiment formed in a Northern state and those who marched that first Memorial Day.
An estimated 10,000 people took part in the initial observance. The event will conclude with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque at the lagoon.
The event starts at 3 p.m. and is jointly hosted by the city, Charleston Horticultural Society and neighborhood associations.
To reach the park, take King Street north, turn left at Moultrie Street, right at President Street and a slight right at Mary Murray Boulevard.
