Description
In this letter from 1973, Representative
Robert Tiernan responded to Robert Young, a fellow Rhode Islander and a square dance enthusiast. Young urged his Congressman to support legislation making the square dance the National American Folk Dance. Tiernan assured Young of his support, saying, “In light of our heritage, it seems that the square dance should surely be designated our national folk dance.” However, other folklife experts pointed out the diversity of American dances, from clogging to Choctaw circle dances. Between 1971 and 2003, various Members introduced legislation, but Congress never permanently designated square dancing as the national folk dance.
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