1. The Redskins and Super Bowls
Yes, the Redskins actually made it to the Super Bowl in the 1980s. In fact, they won in 1983 and 1988. If you grew up in the area, you will never forget John Riggins’ 34-yard touchdown run in Super Bowl XVII.
2. Go-go dancing
The go-go dance scene in DC was one of the biggest in the country.
3. Punk rock shows at the 9:30 club
Punk rock overtook DC in the 1980s and some of the biggest punk rock bands like the Bad Brains, Velvet Monkeys and Rain played in the city.
4. Music videos on MTV
Whether you were into punk rock or go-go music, you were definitely watching music videos on MTV. Because MTV actually played music videos.
5. Acid washed jeans
You wore them and you loved them.
6. Marion Barry
Before his fall from grace in the early 1990s, Marion Barry was the beloved mayor of DC throughout the 80s.
7. DC wasn’t exactly termed “safe”
Sadly if you grew up in DC in the 80s, you may remember the fact that it wasn’t really a safe city. In the 1980s, the city was a center for crack cocaine, murder and gang wars.
8. Cool "Disco" Dan
Cool "Disco" Dan was a graffiti artist in DC in the 1980s. Graffiti was a big part of the culture in the district and you would see it all over and Cool "Disco" Dan’s tag was all over the city.
9. Renting movies at Erol’s
Back before Netflix, you rented VHS tapes on the weekends. Errol’s was DC’s iconic video rental tore before it was bought out by Blockbuster in the 1990s.
10. Georgetown basketball
The 1980s were the prime years for Georgetown basketball. John Thompson’s teams made it to the Final Four three times in the 1980s and won the National Championship in 1984.
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