This is a list of symbols of theDistrict of Columbia.
| Type | Symbol | Adopted | Image | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flag | Flag of the District of Columbia | 1938[1] |  | [2] |
| Seal | Seal of the District of Columbia | 1871 |  | [1] |
| Coat of arms | Coat of arms of the District of Columbia | 1871 | .jpg) | |
| Motto | Justitia omnibus (Latin for "Justice for all") | 1871 | N/a | [1] |
| Type | Symbol | Description | Adopted | Image | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bird | Wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) | 1967[1] | .jpg) | ||
| Crustacean | Hay's Spring amphipod (Stygobromus hayi) | 2016 | [3] | ||
| Dinosaur | Capitalsaurus | This description is an excerpt fromList of informally named dinosaurs § Capitalsaurus.[edit] "Capitalsaurus" is theinformal genus name given to atailbone belonging to a largetheropod dinosaur that lived during theEarly Cretaceous. It was discovered on 28 January 1898, by construction workers excavating a sewer at the intersection of First and F Streets SE. The only known specimen, it was assigned two different species designations –Creosaurus potens andDryptosaurus potens – and eventually overturned each time. In the 1990s, the paleontologist Peter Kranz asserted that it represented a unique type of dinosaur and assigned it the name "Capitalsaurus". He successfully campaigned through local schools to make "Capitalsaurus" the official dinosaur of Washington, D.C., which became law in 1998.[4] A year later, the district further recognized F Street at the discovery site as Capitalsaurus Court. It designated 28 January 2001, as Capitalsaurus Day.[5][6] | 1998 |  | [7] |
| Fish | American shad (Alosa sapidissima) | [8] | 2016 |  | [3] |
| Flower | 'American Beauty' rose (Rosa 'American Beauty') | [1] | |||
| Fruit | Cherry | 2006 |  | [9] | |
| Mammal | Big Brown Bat | 2020 |  | [10] | |
| Tree | Scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea) | 1960[1] |  |
| Type | Symbol | Description | Adopted | Image | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock | Potomac bluestone | Potomac bluestone is ametamorphic rock that has been used extensively in the construction of the District of Columbia. It was used as the foundation of theWhite House,U.S. Capitol, andWashington Monument. Many old houses in theNorthwest quadrant, notably theOld Stone House, are constructed out of the rock. | 2014 |  | [11] |
| Type | Symbol | Description | Adopted | Image | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beverage | Rickey | At the place of origin of thecocktail,Jack Evans, acity councillor, andEleanor Holmes Norton, theHouse delegate for the district, unveiled a plaque honoring theRickey. 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.[12] | 2011 |  | [13] |
| Dance | Hand dancing | Hand dancing is a form ofswing dance that is derived from theLindy Hop and thejitterbug. It is characterized by coordinated footwork, spins, and traveling, where the dance partners communicate moves using hand-basedconnection. Residents of the District of Columbia invented the dance form in the 1950s, but it fell out of favor in thedisco era. ASmithsonian Institution exhibit declaring the dance a national art form led to its resurgence in the 1990s.[14] | 1999 |  | [15] |
| March | "Our Nation's Capitol" byAnthony A. Mitchell | In 1959,Anthony A. Mitchell (pictured), the assistant conductor for theU.S. Navy Band, wrote "Our Nation's Capitol".Robert Enoch McLaughlin, thepresident of the Board of Commissioners declared it the district's official march in 1961, saying toThe 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.[16] | 1961 |  | [17] |
| Music | Go-go | Go-go music, a type of funk music with an emphasis on rhythmic patterns and melodiccall-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.[18] 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.[19] | 2020 | .jpg) | [19] |
| Song | "Washington" byJimmie Dodd | 1951 |  | [20] |
