Symbol | Official Item

Mississippi designated English as the official state language in 1987. Many states have designated official languages, including American sign language and native Hawaiian. 

Mississippi designated the magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) as the official state flower in 1900. Mississippi's nickname is "The Magnolia State," the state tree is the magnolia, and the magnolia is featured on the U.S. Mint's bicentennial commemorative quarter for Mississippi.

The magnolia was selected by the schoolchildren of Mississippi through an election held in 1900. The magnolia received 12,745 votes; the cotton blossom 4,171; and the cape jasmine 2,484.

The official nickname for Mississippi is The Magnolia State. The magnolia is also the state flower and the state tree of Mississippi. Both the state nickname and flower are featured on the Mississippi quarter.

Mississippi's state motto is Virtute et armis (Latin for: By valor and arms). The Latin motto appears on Mississippi's coat of arms.

Mississippi designated "Go, Mississippi" by William Houston Davis as  the official state song in 1962. All State Songs

The name Mississippi comes from the French "Messipi" - the French rendering of the native American Anishinaabe (Ojibwe or Algonquin) name for the river, "Misi-ziibi," meaning "Great River." All State Name Origins

Mississippi designated the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) as official state land mammal in 1974 (along with Mississippi's state water mammal, the bottlenose dolphin). In 1997 the red fox was also recognized as a mammal symbol of Mississippi. All State Mammals

Mississippi designated the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) as an official mammal symbol of the state in 1997 (the white-tailed deer and bottlenose dolphin are also mammal symbols of Mississippi; both were adopted in 1974). All State Mammals

The official nickname for North Dakota is "The Peace Garden State." The North Dakota Motor Vehicle Department placed the phrase on license plates in 1956 (the International Peace Garden straddles the boundary between North Dakota and the Canadian province of Manitoba). The nickname became so popular that it was formally adopted by North Dakota legislature in 1957. All State Nicknames

North Dakota's official state motto is "Liberty and Union Now and Forever, One and Inseparable." The state motto appears on the official state seal of North Dakota. All State Mottos