Mount Vernon Square in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Birth of Go-Go, 1976
Photographed by Ray Gurganus, June 20, 2026
1. Birth of Go-Go, 1976 Marker
Chuck Brown encourages his band, the Soul Searchers, to keep playing between songs and launches an energetic call-and-response with the audience: Go-go music is born at the Maverick Room in Northeast DC. Elementary students at St. Thomas More Catholic School in SE take the beat, calling themselves the Young Dynamos before forming Rare Essence.
DC youth across the city immerse themselves in the homegrown genre, supported by investment in music education in DC schools, all-ages performances, and the annual Summer in the Parks concerts at Fort Dupont and Anacostia Park.
Erected 2026 by DC History Center.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1976.
Location. 38° 54.12′ N, 77° 1.065′ W. Marker is in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Mount Vernon Square. It is on 4 1/2 Street Northwest south of K Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 450 K St NW, Washington DC 20001, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, in the Tidewater, and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Black History Month, 1976 (here, next to this marker); Civics at School, 1976 (a few steps from this marker); Prather's Alley: A Story of Continuity
this page online
Credits. This page was last revised on June 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 25, 2026, by Ray Gurganus of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photo 1. submitted on June 25, 2026, by Ray Gurganus of Washington, District of Columbia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
