NATIONAL PINK DAY

National Pink Day is observed annually on June 23rd.  This day is set aside for the color pink and all it represents.

First used as a color name in the late 17th century, pink is a pale red color which got its name from a flower of same name.

According to surveys in both the United States and Europe with results indicating that the color pink combined with white or pale blue is most commonly associated with femininity, sensitivity, tenderness, childhood and the romantic.  Pink, when combined with violet or black is associated with eroticism and seduction.

Dating back to the 14th century, “to pink” (the verb) means “to decorate with a perforated or punched pattern.”

It would have been curious to find pink used in fabric or decor during the Middle Ages.  Occasionally it was seen in women’s fashion and religious art.  In the 13th and 14th century, the Christ child was sometimes portrayed dressed in pink, the color associated with the body of Christ. Pink was mainly used for the flesh color of faces and hands during the Renaissance.

The Rococo Period (1720-1777) was the golden age for the color pink. Pastel colors became very fashionable in all the courts of Europe during this time.  Madame de Pompadour (1721-1764), the mistress of King Louis XV of France, was known for wearing the color pink, often combined with light blue.  At one point in time, Ms. Pompadour had a particular tint of pink made specifically for her.

Pink ribbons or decorations were worn by young boys in 19th century England.  The men in England wore red uniforms and since boys were considered small men, boys wore pink.

Pink became much bolder, brighter and more assertive in the 20th century and 1931, the color “Shocking Pink” was introduced.

As one of the most common colors of flowers, pink serves to attract the insects and birds that are necessary for pollination.

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  • In the pink – To be in top form, in good health, in good condition.
  • To see pink elephants – To hallucinate from alcoholism.
  • Pink slip – To be given a pink slip means to be fired or dismissed from a job. First recorded in 1915 in the United States.
  • Pink-collar worker – Persons working in jobs conventionally regarded as  “women’s work.”
  • Pink Money –  the pink pound or pink dollar is an economic term which refers to the spending power of the LGBT community.
  • Tickled pink – means extremely pleased.

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HOW TO OBSERVE

The most apparent way to celebrate is to wear pink.  Enjoy foods and beverages that are pink.  Give a donation to any of the charities that use the color pink.  Use #NationalPinkDay in social media.

NATIONAL WEST VIRGINIA DAY

National West Virginia Day on March 22nd recognizes the last state to be created from one of the original thirteen colonies.

When Virginia voted to secede from the Union, Western Virginians held firmly to their Union loyalties, created their own constitution and approached Congress for statehood. West Virginia, the 35th state, was admitted to the Union in 1863. It was the only state formed from another state and one of two created during the Civil War.

The original thirteen colonies created a total of eighteen states. Vermont once was a part of New York. Kentucky was also once included in the colony of Virginia. Tennessee was formerly part of North Carolina. Maine and Massachusetts were joined at one time.

At Harpers Ferry, the North meets South. From John Brown’s rebellion to Stonewall Jackson’s Confederate victory, Harpers Ferry is ripe with abolition movements and Civil War History.

Official West Virginia

  • State Capitol – Charleston
  • State Motto – Montani Semper Liberi (Mountaineers Are Always Free)
  • State Animal – Black Bear
  • State Bird – Cardinal
  • State Fish – Brook Trout
  • State Tree – Sugar Maple
  • State Flower – Rhododendron
  • State Fruit – Golden Delicious Apple
  • State Insect – Honeybee
  • State Butterfly – Monarch Butterfly
  • State Gem/Fossil – Silicified Mississippian Fossil Coral
  • State Songs – “West Virginia My Home Sweet Home”, “The West Virginia Hills”, “This is My West Virginia

The Mountain State

Also known as The Mountain State, West Virginia is dominated by three magnificent mountain ridges. The Allegheny, Appalachian and the Blue Ridge Mountains also provide the state with seventy-eight percent forest over its total terrain. Within the rugged mountains, massive amounts of bituminous coal stores have made West Virginia the largest producer of coal east of the Mississippi River.

Not only do the West Virginia hills create spectacular views and jobs, but their natural landscape lends to small, isolated populations with deep roots. Their culture and heritage can be heard infused in the thrum of a banjo or the lyrics of a gospel chorus. It also influences the warm earthy flavors of their cooking and inspires artisans to masterpieces.

Life moves at a slower pace in West Virginia. Time doesn’t exactly stand still, but if you’ll sit a while and listen to some of the folk stories, you might hear about John Henry and Big Ben Mountain. Someone could take you mushroom hunting, or they might fry up a few and share with you what they found that morning. Not very many are willing to give up their favorite hunting spots.

You could get invited to the largest festival in West Virginia, Bridge Day. It takes place at New River Gorge Bridge on the third Saturday of October. The bridge was completed on October 22, 1977, and it’s the longest steel arch bridge in the western hemisphere.


Hidden Treasures

Mothman Statue – Point Pleasant
Berkeley Springs Castle– Berkeley Springs
George Washington’s Bathtub
 – Berkeley Springs
Green Bank Observatory
Green Bank Observatory
– Green Bank
World’s Largest Teapot – Chester
Birthplace of the Steamboat 
– Wheeling


Flavor

Pepperoni Rolls
Maple Syrup
Golden Delicious Apples
Black Walnuts
Strawberries
Ramps
Honey
Molasses
Buckwheat Pancakes
Apple Butter
“Roadkill” & Wild Game
West Virginia Slaw Dogs


Famous…


Thomas Willey – Senator – (October 11, 1811 – May 2, 1900)


Devil Anse Hatfield – Family Patriarch – (September 9, 1839 – January 6, 1921)

The Tale of the Devil Hardcover – June 3, 2012

by Dr. Coleman C. Hatfield
The Tale of the Devil Hardcover – June 3, 2012

by Dr. Coleman C. Hatfield

Anna Jarvis – Mother – (May 1, 1864 – November 24, 1948)

Memorializing Motherhood: Anna Jarvis and the Struggle for Control of Mother's Day (Volume 15) (WEST VIRGINIA & APPALACHIA) Hardcover – October 1, 2014

by Katharine Lane Antolini (Editor)
Memorializing Motherhood: Anna Jarvis and the Struggle for Control of Mother’s Day (Volume 15) (WEST VIRGINIA & APPALACHIA) Hardcover – October 1, 2014

by Katharine Lane Antolini (Editor)

Dwight Morrow – Businessman – (January 11, 1873 – October 5, 1931)

The Story Of Dwight Morrow Hardcover – September 10, 2010

by Mary Margaret McBride (Author
The Story Of Dwight Morrow Hardcover – September 10, 2010

by Mary Margaret McBride (Author

Florence Blanchfield – Military Officer – (April 1, 1884 – May 12, 1971)


Pearl S. Buck – Author – (June 26, 1892 – March 6, 1973)

The Child Who Never Grew Hardcover – March 1, 1992

by Pearl S. Buck  (Author)
The Child Who Never Grew Hardcover – March 1, 1992

by Pearl S. Buck  (Author)

Katherine Johnson – Mathematician – (August 26, 1918 -)

Reaching for the Moon: The Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson Hardcover – July 2, 2019

by Katherine Johnson (Author)
Reaching for the Moon: The Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson Hardcover – July 2, 2019

by Katherine Johnson (Author)

Chuck Yeager – Military Officer – (February 13, 1923 -)

Yeager an Autobiography by General Chuck Yeager (1988-08-02) Hardcover 
Yeager an Autobiography by General Chuck Yeager (1988-08-02) Hardcover 

Gray Barker – Author – (May 2, 1925 – December 6, 1984)

They knew too much about flying saucers Hardcover – 1956

by Gray Barker  (Author)
They knew too much about flying saucers Hardcover – 1956

by Gray Barker  (Author)

John F. Nash – Mathematician – (June 13, 1928 – May 23, 2015)

A Beautiful Mind : A Biography of John Forbes Nash, Jr. Hardcover – June 12, 1998

by Sylvia Nasar  (Author)
A Beautiful Mind : A Biography of John Forbes Nash, Jr. Hardcover – June 12, 1998

by Sylvia Nasar  (Author)

John C. Norman – Surgeon – (May 11, 1929 – August 23, 2014)


Jerry West – Basketball Player – (May 28, 1938 -)

Jerry West: The Life and Legend of a Basketball Icon Hardcover – February 23, 2010

by Roland Lazenby  (Author)
Jerry West: The Life and Legend of a Basketball Icon Hardcover – February 23, 2010

by Roland Lazenby  (Author)

Henry Louis Gates – Historian – (September 16, 1950 -)

Stony the Road: Reconstruction, White Supremacy, and the Rise of Jim Crow Hardcover – April 2, 2019

by Henry Louis Gates Jr.  (Author)
Stony the Road: Reconstruction, White Supremacy, and the Rise of Jim Crow Hardcover – April 2, 2019

by Henry Louis Gates Jr.  (Author)

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalWestVirginiaDay

Join us as we explore the history, culture, and heritage of West Virginia.
Discover her enchanting beauty and the music, poetry, and art of the 35th state.
Share your experiences living in and visiting West Virginia.

Make a West Virginia history, scenic, or restaurant bucket list. What’s on your list?
Use #NationalWestVirginiaDay to share on social media.