National Forget-Me-Not Day on November 10th reminds Americans of the sacrifices returning soldiers have made of body, blood, and limb. Created in 1921, National Forget-Me-Not Day originally raised funds to provide services for injured soldiers returning home. At the time, the existing hospitals were insufficient to support the number of returning disabled veterans.
#ForgetMeNotDay
The Forget-Me-Not is a flower symbolizing remembrance.
The day serves to honor all past and current United States Military veterans who bear the permanent scars of battle.
HOW TO OBSERVE FORGET ME NOT DAY
Remember to support our disabled veterans. Volunteer, donate, and wear a forget-me-not. You can also:
Learn more about the history of World War I.
Reconnect with a military veteran.
Hire a disabled veteran. Their wounds do not represent their skills.
Use #ForgetMeNotDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL FORGET ME NOT DAY HISTORY
Forget-Me-Not Day hearkens back to The Great War. At that time, wounded soldiers returned requiring continued care long after the war ended. While the wounded veterans’ plight was not new, no services existed to treat their needs. Additionally, the government was unprepared for the number of returning wounded. Very few services and organizations existed to provide the care and support the veterans needed.
Eventually, a movement to remember and deliver services to returning soldiers began in earnest in 1921. And that movement began thanks to one injured soldier.
Judge Robert S. Marx
Judge Robert S. Marx called on the nation to establish a day reminding the country of their veteran’s sacrifices. The day also recognized the needs of disabled soldiers, creating a fundraising platform as a way to provide the necessary services wounded veterans needed. The day was called Forget-Me-Not Day and funds were raised by selling forget-me-nots. The first published occurrence of this day was on December 17, 1921.
Injured on November 10, 1918, Marx served during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. He returned to the United States to heal from his injuries soon afterward. Since he practiced law before entering the military, Marx took up his practice once more. Soon, Marx was elected judge. Before long, his interest in veterans’ affairs became apparent. From fundraising to speeches, Marx made the rounds. When In 1920, the Disabled American Veterans of the World War (DAVWW) was founded, Judge Marx became the first leader of the organization. The DAVWW held their first National Caucus on September 25, 1920. Through the DAVWW in 1922 the first official Forget-Me-Not Day fundraising campaign launched on November 11th.
Throughout the 1920s, the organization selected several days in November to observe National Forget-Me-Not Day, including November 11th. However, the day is now well established as Veteran’s Day or Armistice Day. Another well-known Forget-Me-Not Day is September 26th. Also known as Argonne Day in honor of the decisive battle through the Meuse-Argonne Forest.
Today, the organization that founded National Forget-Me-Not Day is named the Disabled American Veterans, supporting all disabled veterans.
Forget-Me-Not FAQ
Q. Does any state claim the Forget-Me-Not as its state flower?
A. The official state flower of Alaska, the forget-me-not grows well throughout the open, rocky places, high in the mountains of the state.
Q. When was the first facility for disabled veterans established?
A. President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the first bill approving the establishment of a home for totally disabled veterans of the Union Army and Navy troops on March 3, 1865.