The website from the Library of Congress called America’s Story states that the first Memorial Day took place in 1868.  If you are curious about the origins of Memorial Day, then there are many great government resources that you can consult. The Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs has an extensive collection of resource links listed on their Memorial Day website for helpful information.  Also, the Consortium Library has numerous reference and government sources having to do with Memorial Day. Some examples include The Encyclopedia of War and American Society, and American Civil War: The Definitive Encyclopedia and Document Collection. To search for sources from the main Consortium Library homepage, type “Memorial Day” History into the QuickSearch box. You can then, for example, select Reference listed under Content Type on the left side of the screen. Feel free to ask a librarian for assistance in locating additional resources.

Anchorage will host a number of activities for the North by North (NxN) Festival on the sidelines of the Arctic Council Ministerial gathering in Fairbanks. Events include an arts, crafts, & culture expo, a circumpolar film festival, and a local food and beer tasting. Many of these unique happenings are free, others have a fee, or you can buy a pass for $20.

You can also register for Innovate Arctic at the Anchorage Museum, a full day of TED-style talks, interactive exhibits, and topic-driven breakout sessions on Arctic topics including cold climate housing, northern agriculture, tourism, renewable energy, telecommunications, and education.

To see the full schedule and for much more information, go to the NxN website.