List of District of Columbia symbols explained

This is a list of symbols of the District of Columbia.

Insignia

TypeSymbolAdoptedImage
FlagFlag of the District of Columbia[1] [2]
SealSeal of the District of Columbia1871
Coat of armsCoat of arms of the District of Columbia1871
Justitia omnibus
(Latin for "Justice for all")
1871

Species

TypeSymbolDescriptionAdoptedImage
BirdWood thrush
(Hylocichla mustelina)
1967
CrustaceanHay's Spring amphipod
(Stygobromus hayi)
2016[3]
DinosaurCapitalsaurus1998[4]
FishAmerican shad
(Alosa sapidissima)
[5] 2016
Flower'American Beauty' rose
(Rosa 'American Beauty')
FruitCherry2006[6]
MammalBig brown bat2020[7]
TreeScarlet oak
(Quercus coccinea)
1960

Culture

TypeSymbolDescriptionAdoptedImage
BeverageRickeyAt the place of origin of the cocktail, Jack Evans, a city councillor, and Eleanor Holmes Norton, the House delegate for the district, unveiled a plaque honoring the Rickey. It was proclaimed "Washington, D.C.'s native cocktail". July was also declared as Rickey Month in the district. Various news outlets subsequently described the Rickey as the city's official cocktail.[9] 2011[10]
DanceHand dancingHand dancing is a form of swing dance that is derived from the Lindy Hop and the jitterbug. It is characterized by coordinated footwork, spins, and traveling, where the dance partners communicate moves using hand-based connection. Residents of the District of Columbia invented the dance form in the 1950s, but it fell out of favor in the disco era. A Smithsonian Institution exhibit declaring the dance a national art form led to its resurgence in the 1990s.[11] 1999[12]
March"Our Nation's Capitol" by Anthony A. MitchellIn 1959, Anthony A. Mitchell (pictured), the assistant conductor for the U.S. Navy Band, wrote "Our Nation's Capitol". Robert Enoch McLaughlin, the president of the Board of Commissioners declared it the district's official march in 1961, saying to The Washington Post, "I found it so stirring that for the first time since I left the Naval Academy, I felt like marching." Words were added later by Dixon Redditt.[13] 1961[14]
MusicGo-goGo-go music, a type of funk music with an emphasis on rhythmic patterns and melodic call-and-response sessions, originated within the district's African-American community during the mid-1960s to late-1970s. Chuck Brown (pictured), considered the "godfather of go-go", described it as music with a groovy beat that just "goes and goes", coining the name. Strict curfew laws from the 1980s that targeted youth who attend go-go clubs caused the culture to suffer.[15] Upon recognizing the music as an official symbol, the D.C. Council repealed the curfew laws and required the mayor to develop a preservation plan.2020[16]
Song"Washington" by Jimmie Dodd1951[17]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: District of Columbia . DC Symbols . December 28, 2019 .
  2. [Code of the District of Columbia]
  3. D.C. Law . 21-282 . May 19, 2017 . . Fisheries and Wildlife Omnibus Amendment Act of 2016 . 2022-12-31 . en.
  4. D.C. Law . 12-155 . September 30, 1998 . . Official Dinosaur Act of 1998 . 2022-12-31 . en.
  5. Web site: Fishing in the district . DOEE . 13 September 2020.
  6. D.C. Law . 16-171 . September 29, 2006 . . Official Fruit of the District of Columbia Act of 2006 . 2022-12-31 . en.
  7. D.C. Law . 23-160 . December 23, 2020 . . Big Brown Bat Official State Mammal Designation Act of 2020 . 2022-12-31 . en.
  8. D.C. Law . 20-220 . March 11, 2015 . . DC Rocks, So We Need One Act of 2014 . 2022-12-31 . en.
  9. For example:
  10. Resolution . ACR19-0097 . September 2, 2011 . . Rickey Recognition Resolution of 2011 . 2022-12-31 . en.
  11. Johnson . Rebecca . Raising a Hand for D.C. Dance Tradition . The American Observer . . 9 . 7 . 2008-09-04 . dead . 2004-11-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20041106055236/http://observer.american.edu/2004/mar3104/hand.html.
  12. Resolution . ACR13-225 . December 7, 1999 . . Hand Dancing Is the Official Dance of the District of Columbia Resolution of 1999 . 2022-12-31 . en.
  13. News: Kelly . John . Dreaming of Taking the District by Song . 2010-06-06 . . 2022-12-31 . limited.
  14. News: Schudel . Matt . He Served His Country With Music . 2009-03-29 . . 2012-02-07.
  15. News: Lang . Marissa J. . Go-go Is Signed into Law as the Official Music of D.C. . 2020-02-19 . . 2022-12-31 . limited.
  16. D.C. Law . 23-71 . April 11, 2020 . . Go-Go Official Music of the District of Columbia Designation Act of 2020 . 2022-12-31 . en.
  17. News: Kelly . John . In 1950s, Jimmie Dodd's 'Washington' Won Contest to Be District's Official Song . 2010-05-30 . . 2022-12-31 . limited.