About this episode
The episode discusses the implications of Trump's proposed arch at Arlington National Cemetery and reflects on the history of Memorial Day.
May 23, 2026 Trump’s proposed arch threatens to obscure the view of the Lincoln Memorial from Arlington National Cemetery, The arch will not frame the nation’s honored dead, but the home built by enslaved Americans and once owned by Confederate General Robert E. Lee, The US government bought Lee’s property in 1864, and by August began to bury the bodies of Civil War soldiers there, By the end of the Civil War more than 16,000 Civil War Soldiers were buried at Arlington National Cemetery, The first official Memorial Day ceremony took place at Arlington National Cemetery on May 30, 1968, Then-congressman James Garfield, who had served in the War, spoke, Garfield spoke of the men buried at Arlington, They fought to save their Government “or miserably perish." Watch today's recording here: https://www.youtube.com/live/g9TUa1Rwd6U?si=T8_KKcHQZElhpnZ- Get full, free access to Letters from an American here: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe You can also find me: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hcrichardson.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercoxrichardson/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/ YouTube…
People in this episode
Host: Heather Cox Richardson
Topics covered
- Memorial Day
- Civil War
- Arlington National Cemetery
- James Garfield
- Robert E. Lee
- Lincoln Memorial
Keywords
- Memorial Day
- Arlington National Cemetery
- Civil War soldiers
- James Garfield
- Robert E. Lee
- Lincoln Memorial
- Trump arch
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Arlington National Cemetery, United States
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