Ohio, which is also known by its nickname, The Buckeye State, has many official symbols. What follows is a comprehensive list of state symbols of Ohio, each of which is accompanied by a brief description and corresponding facts. The majority of these items are officially recognized by state law, having been ratified by an act of the Ohio General Assembly and executed by the governor's signature. These items can be found in the Ohio Revised Code, General Provisions, Chapter 5. Two of Ohio's official symbols have not been officially signed into law, but were made official through resolution in the Senate.
State motto
Adopted in 1959, the Ohio motto, With God, all things are possible, is a quotation taken from Matthew, 19:26. There was, however, a period from 1865 until 1867 when the motto was: Imperium in Imperio (Latin for "Empire within an Empire"). Too controversial for a post-Civil War society, it was repealed after two years.
State slogan
The current official marketing slogan (as of 2008) is: Ohioâ€" Birthplace of Aviation. The reference is to Orville and Wilbur Wright, the inventing duo from Dayton who are credited with building the first successful airplane. A similar version of the slogan appears on Ohio's commemorative state quarter. In the case of the quarter, it reads: Birthplace of aviation pioneers. The addition of pioneers on the quarter's version, denotes space as well as air travel, as Ohio has been the birthplace of 24 NASA astronauts. Ohio's notable astronautical pioneers include: John Glenn, the third human and first American to orbit the Earth; Neil Armstrong, who as a member of the Apollo 11 mission, was the first person to walk on the moon; Jim Lovell, commander of the Apollo 13 mission, and famous for the voice transmission: Houston, we've had a problem; and Judith Resnik, who was killed in the Challenger Disaster on January 28, 1986.
State symbols
State songs
Ohio's official songs include:
"Beautiful Ohio", by Ballard MacDonald (lyrics) and Mary Earl (music), was adopted as the official state song in 1989.
"Hang on Sloopy", by Wes Farrell and Bert Russell, is the state's official rock song, adopted by the General Assembly in 1985. The song was never signed into law, but was enacted through House Concurrent Resolution 16, 116th General Assembly, 1985â€"1986 Session.
Miscellaneous symbols
See also
- List of Ohio-related topics
- Lists of United States state insignia
- State of Ohio
Citations & references
- All listed codes (§) are from the General Provisions of the Ohio Revised Code unless otherwise stated. Retrieved in March 2008.