Their cheerful blooms became a tiny symbol of hope for those who witnessed the devastation of the war.
Moina Michael, a former professor at the University of Georgia read it.
In addition to the poem, Michael vowed to always wear a red poppy to honor the fallen soldiers.
She started a campaign to make the poppy a national symbol of remembrance.
In 1920, she got Georgias branch of the American Legion to adopt the poppy as its symbol.
National Poppy Day was celebrated the following May in the United States.
Her next stop was England.
Other nations fell in line and adopted the poppy as their official symbol of remembrance.
Who Gives Out Poppies On Memorial Day?
In 1923, poppies were assembled by disabled and needy veterans.
They were paid for their work by the VFW.
Today theVFW’s Buddy Poppyprogram volunteers hand out red poppies in exchange for donations every Memorial Day.
We are the Dead.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
