Veterans Day, celebrated nationally on November 11, originated as Armistice Day in 1926, commemorating the date in 1981 when World War I effectively ended. In 1954, President Eisenhower declared that in order to honor veterans who had served in subsequent wars as well as those who served in World War I, the holiday would be known as Veternans Day.
In response, Lansing’s first Veterans Day parade was held on November 11, 1954, with an estimated 30,000 spectators lining the streets. The annual tradition continued until 2005. Since then various events are held at schools, churches, libraries, and cemeteries in Lansing. Parades are still held in neighboring communities including Mason and St. Johns.
Note: Lansing discontinued the Veterans Day Parade in 2014.
Source : Laurie Hollinger, Lansing State Journal, November 9, 2014, p. 6D.