Memorial Day, also known as "Poppy Day", May 26, 1934. Members of the American Legion Auxillary pose with Los Angeles's City Council president. In the front row of the photo are City Councilman Howard Davis, Auxillary members Marie Gore, and Mary Repp. Behind them are Auxillary members Julia Van Sky and Mrs. Tom Rice.Members of the Los Angeles American Legion Auxillary hold bouquets of artificial poppies, made by veterans of the First World War. The poppies were sold by members of the American Legion Auxillary in order to raise money for disabled veterans and their families.Poppies were chosen as representative of Memorial Day due to their presence in the iconic World War I memorial poem, "In Flanders Fields". The poem was written by Canadian physician and Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae.