Memorial Day itself was established in 1868, just as the Civil War concluded. The day meant to honor the fallen soldiers of that war, has grown to be a solemn recognition of all our nation's war dead.

Memorial Day is a time the dead speak through the memories of those left behind to tell the stories of their lives. In recent weeks, the Niles Daily Star has been running a column called "Silverbrook Legacies."

"Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."

The beginning lines of Lincoln's Gettysburg address are some of the most famous ever penned. The speech was delivered at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 19, 1863, during the American Civil War.

Click here for the full article on the Niles Daily Star website

Published May 26th, 2007