Do you know why people
wear red poppies for Memorial Day?

Inspired by the World War I poem “In Flanders Fields,” the remembrance poppy has been used since 1921 to commemorate military personnel who have died in war. The opening lines of the poem refer to the many poppies that were the first flowers to grow in the churned-up earth of soldiers’ graves in Flanders, a region of Belgium. Today, the red poppy is a sign of remembrance honoring the sacrifices made for our country’s freedom. Learn more about the history of the Remembrance Poppy here (opens in a new window).