From the Desk of the County Manager - April 25, 2025
From guest writer Jonathan Crooms,
Hello, Durham County! My name is Jonathan Crooms, and I am a Veteran Services Officer with the Durham County Veteran Services Department.
May is a wonderful month to be in Durham County. As the old saying goes, April showers bring May flowers. Whether you enjoy a walk in one of our beautiful municipal parks, on the sidewalks of our busy downtown, or in your own neighborhood, it is impossible to miss the beautiful blooms that the arrival of spring brings each year.
In addition to warmer weather and stunning scenery, May inspires both reflection and gratitude for our men and women in uniform with the observance of Memorial Day. On the last Monday of each May, Americans gather to remember those servicemen who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and died at war. Yet, it is no coincidence that this holiday takes place at a time of year when new and colorful growth is blooming all around us.
During the last few years of the Civil War, communities in both the North and South, both Black and white, began decorating the graves of soldiers on springtime “decoration days”. On May 5, 1868, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) issued General Orders No. 11, also known as the “Memorial Day Act”, which established Memorial Day as a Decoration Day in which the country could honor those who died in war and decorate their graves with flowers. The GAR specifically chose May 30 as the day of honor to ensure that the choicest springtime flowers were available throughout the country.
Decoration Day continued throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries as an informal patriotic holiday. After World War I, the holiday was expanded to honor Americans who died in all wars. In the decades following, the federal government continued to recognize Memorial Day through legislative action. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which was enacted in 1968 and became effective in 1971, designated Memorial Day as a national holiday and moved it from May 30 to the last Monday in May.
Durham County Government observes Memorial Day through an annual remembrance event led by Durham County Veterans Services. All county residents and employees are invited to this year’s program, which will take place on May 26 at 9 a.m., in Room 126 of the Administration II Building (201 E. Main Street).
Watch my appearance on the Public Information Office’s DCo Insider series to learn more!
At the heart of this program is the Roll Call of the 375 known names of the soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen from Durham County who died at war. It is important not only to remember those who have died at war but also to ensure that their families, which are known as Gold Star Families, are not forgotten. All attendees will be invited to come to the podium to help call out each of these honored names.
In addition to Roll Call, this year’s program features a keynote address from Durham County Commissioner Stephen J. Valentine, who is both an Army veteran and a member of a Gold Star family. To learn more about the importance of Memorial Day to Commissioner Valentine and his family, as well as Assistant County Manager Julio Delgado, also a veteran of the Army, click on a link to this video. The two also share thoughts on their military service here.
We invite any Gold Star families who wish to be recognized during the ceremony to contact Veteran Services staff at 919-560-8387 prior to Memorial Day. Durham County Veterans Services would like to learn more about their loved one’s military service and the surviving families in order to properly honor them during the ceremony.
Finally, in keeping with the origins and tradition of this holiday, we will decorate Durham County’s war memorials in front of Administration 1 with the laying of a floral wreath.
We hope that you will be able to attend this year’s Memorial Day Program. Should you be unable to attend, we encourage you to stop at 3 p.m. local time wherever you are and observe the National Moment of Remembrance, a minute of silence for those have died in service to our nation.
Let us always remember those who have sacrificed their lives so that we may enjoy our freedom.
Jonathan Crooms | Durham County Veteran Services Officer