Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Vaccine Info
  • Money
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Vaccine Info
    Money
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

Bipartisan support to Whitehead, state polka, and a second state song

  • by Neena Satija
  • June 7, 2013
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"

It’s been a contentious legislative session here in Connecticut. But legislators were able to agree on a few things.

For instance: German immigrant Gustave Whitehead was the first to fly in Bridgeport in 1901 — two years before the celebrated Wright brothers made so-called history in Kitty Hawk, N.C. So now, in a holiday known as “Powered Flight Day” (date still to be determined), Connecticut will recognize Whitehead instead of Orville and Wilbur.

The holiday was already on Connecticut’s books, but it “didn’t get a lot of press around here because … everybody thought, ‘What does that have to do with Connecticut?'” said state Sen. Mike McLachlan, R-Danbury, a history buff. Now, it will likely get more attention.

The bill enjoyed unanimous passage in the state Senate and a healthy majority in the House. (Unaccountably, 26 representatives voted against it).

“That’s pretty amazing in the current political climate,” said historian John Brown, who lives in Germany and recently discovered the tiny, blurry photo of the flight that was acknowledged as authentic by world-renowned aviation experts earlier this year. 

When the editor of “Jane’s All the World Airplanes,” an annually published encyclopedia known as the “Bible of Aviation” announced his agreement with Brown in March, a firestorm of controversy erupted. Historians at the Smithsonian, where Wright brothers’ planes and paraphernalia dominate the National Air and Space museum, continue to deny that Whitehead deserves the title of “First in Flight.” But Brown and others claim that the Smithsonian is bound by contract to give the Wright brothers that title, or it risks losing its prized exhibits.

The Connecticut legislature’s action has incensed many in Ohio, the birthplace of the Wright brothers. In the video below, local television reporters express their dismay.

         [iframe allowfullscreen=”” frameborder=”0″ height=”315″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/95hoDY_5z78″ width=”560″]

“Give me a break,” says the news anchor, calling Whitehead a “clown” and “Mr. Wrong.”

The bill, headed to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s desk for his expected signature next week, also decrees “The ballroom polka shall be the state polka.”

In addition, the bill designates a second state song called “Beautiful Connecticut Waltz,” which Newington-based country singer-songwriter Joseph Leggo wrote for his wife in 1949. State Sen. Paul Doyle, D-Wethersfield, and Rep. Sandy Nafis, D-Newington, originally proposed the bill in 2011; click here to read testimony in support of it. The ballroom polka, too, had died in previous legislative sessions before finally becoming part of state statute this year, pending Malloy’s signature.

Other commemorative provisions in the bill include recognizing March as Irish-American Month, October as Italian-American month, November as Native American Month, June 24th as French Canadian-American Day, and a required celebration of the 14th anniversary of the Connecticut-Taiwan sister state relationship.

“Suitable exercises shall be held in the State Capitol and elsewhere as the General Assembly designates for such commemoration,” the bill reads after each provision.

McLachlan said that with the exception of the Whitehead recognition, all the other commemorative acts had been discussed in previous legislative sessions, but “they’ve always been kicked back.”

“But they’re important,” he said. “And I think it’s appropriate.”

Connecticut also has a state animal (the sperm whale) and a state heroine, educator-abolitionist Prudence Crandall. The state song is “Yankee Doodle” — “Beautiful Connecticut Waltz” would be a “second state song.”

Listen to “Beautiful Connecticut Waltz” here.

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Neena Satija

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
Can federally qualified health centers solve CT’s vaccine equity woes?
by Kasturi Pananjady and Dave Altimari

FQHCs serve many priority ZIP codes, but reaching residents has been a process of trial and error

Playing politics with people’s healthcare is always wrong
by Jody Barr, Jan Hochadel, Jeff Leake, Dave Glidden, Carl Chism and Mike Holmes

For the past decade, towns, school boards and cities throughout the state have been able to provide their employees high-quality healthcare through the Connecticut Partnership […]

A pandemic lesson for CSCU leaders: affordable, accessible childcare is critical
by Brandy Sellitto

If there can be anything good that has come from the last year and the horrors of living through this pandemic, perhaps it is the renewed focus on the need for affordable and accessible childcare. As a teen mom, I know first-hand the need for access to safe, reliable, and developmentally appropriate childcare at an affordable price.

Children’s mental health needs continue to soar: The second pandemic lawmakers must address
by Gabriella Izzo

“She was my happy kid,” a parent told me when I cared for her child who was experiencing a mental health crisis. My patient recovered medically within a few days, however, she remained in the hospital for over a week waiting for placement at a psychiatric rehabilitation facility. We must improve our mental health system and you can be a critical part of making that happen.

H.B. 6620 — A closer reading of a flawed legislative proposal
by Ann M Mulready

The Connecticut Association for Reading Research (CARR) is deeply concerned regarding H.B. 6620, An Act Concerning the Right to Read and Addressing Certain Opportunity Gaps. It is based on a concept that is seriously problematic in that it subordinates comprehension to fluency.

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion Playing politics with people’s healthcare is always wrong
by Jody Barr, Jan Hochadel, Jeff Leake, Dave Glidden, Carl Chism and Mike Holmes

For the past decade, towns, school boards and cities throughout the state have been able to provide their employees high-quality healthcare through the Connecticut Partnership […]

Opinion A pandemic lesson for CSCU leaders: affordable, accessible childcare is critical
by Brandy Sellitto

If there can be anything good that has come from the last year and the horrors of living through this pandemic, perhaps it is the renewed focus on the need for affordable and accessible childcare. As a teen mom, I know first-hand the need for access to safe, reliable, and developmentally appropriate childcare at an affordable price.

Opinion Children’s mental health needs continue to soar: The second pandemic lawmakers must address
by Gabriella Izzo

“She was my happy kid,” a parent told me when I cared for her child who was experiencing a mental health crisis. My patient recovered medically within a few days, however, she remained in the hospital for over a week waiting for placement at a psychiatric rehabilitation facility. We must improve our mental health system and you can be a critical part of making that happen.

Opinion H.B. 6620 — A closer reading of a flawed legislative proposal
by Ann M Mulready

The Connecticut Association for Reading Research (CARR) is deeply concerned regarding H.B. 6620, An Act Concerning the Right to Read and Addressing Certain Opportunity Gaps. It is based on a concept that is seriously problematic in that it subordinates comprehension to fluency.

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s […]

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is […]

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO