[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 40 (Monday, October 9, 1995)]
[Pages 1765-1772]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
<R04>
Remarks on Presenting the Arts and Humanities Awards
October 5, 1995
The President. Thank you very much. It's an eerie feeling being
introduced by your wife. [Laughter] You never know what's going to be
said. [Laughter] You're steeling yourself for the discipline not to show
any adverse reaction. [Laughter] We're having a good time today, Hillary
and I are. We love this day; we look forward to it. And we thank all of
you for coming. We thank especially Senator Pell and Senator Simpson.
Thank you for coming. We're glad to see you.
We thank the members of the administration who are here. I see
Secretary Riley, and Deputy Secretary Kunin of Education; and Roger
Johnson, the Director of the General Services Administration. There may
be others here. I thank all of you for being here. I want to say a
special word of thanks for the service of Jane Alexander and Sheldon
Hackney for the great job that they have done. I thank my good friend
John Brademas, the Chairman of the President's Committee on the Arts and
Humanities, and Diane Frankel, the Director of the Institute for Museum
Services. And I thank all the members of the Arts and the Humanities
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Councils who are here for their willingness to serve.
It's a great honor for me to be able to present today the National
Medal of Arts and the Charles Frankel Prize in the Humanities to a
distinguished group of Americans who have lived their lives as builders,
bringing people enlightenment, bringing people enjoyment, advancing the
cause of human knowledge and human understanding and the joy in life.
Before I do that, I think I ought to say, we've had a couple of pieces
of good news this morning at the White House, which at least are not
inconsistent with what so many of these people have given their lives
to.
The President of Mexico called me this morning and told me that,
after all the difficulties his country had faced in recent months, that
he was making an early repayment of $700 million of the money they
borrowed from the United States to keep their economy going. And I think
that's a good thing.
You know, when you loan money, you never know whether it's a good
thing or not until it's too late to do anything about it. [Laughter]
Some of you have been in that position. But they're our friends; they're
our allies; they're our partners for the future. They're fighting for
their democracy, and they're fighting for the quality of their country's
economy. They hit a rough spot in the road, and they borrowed less money
than we authorized them to, and they're paying it back more quickly. And
we're going to have a brighter future as a result of it and a safer,
more secure future, and a better partnership. And that's a good thing.
And perhaps even more importantly, I learned early this morning that
in 5 days from now, if we can just get a couple of things done, the
parties in Bosnia have agreed to a complete cease-fire of all military
hostilities. They have, furthermore, agreed to come for what are called
``proximity peace talks''--I'll tell you about that in a minute; that's
a Government language word--to the United States to actually talk about
hammering out a final peace agreement in late October. So this is a good
day for the cause of peace and prosperity in the world and in the United
States.
Proximity peace talks means that they'll all come to the same
country, to the same town, to the same place, but they'll let us talk to
them, and they won't talk to each other until--[laughter]--but that's
better than it's been. [Laughter] And sooner or later, we'll all find
out we have more in common than we do dividing us. And that's the lesson
that we hope the American people keep in mind us we go through the next
months and years as well.
I think it's fair to say that no President has ever enjoyed these
award ceremonies more than I have because every year I get a chance to
recognize the lifetime achievements of people who have been heroes to me
in various ways, men and women who, unbeknownst to them, have been my
teachers, my role models, my inspiration, because, as President, I am no
different than any other American who enjoys literature or music or art
and architecture. And I have benefited, as so many of you have, from the
work of the people we recognize today.
These awards call attention to the lives of 17 individuals and one
organization who have worked to enrich the lives of millions and
millions of Americans, millions of people around the world, and have
made this country a stronger, better, richer place. They are genuine
examples of the American ideal and their work as a whole is a national
treasure.
The arts and humanities have energized the American dream in so many
ways. The soul of our country has literally been shaped by the vision of
our artists and the creativity of those whom we honor here today. And
many others in the past have helped America to become and to remain the
freest, most democratic nation in the world. Through the arts and
humanities, we assert both our oneness and our diversity. And in
celebrating this ideal, we move forward together.
Human creativity is clearly the most powerful force on Earth. And
these awardees have exercised that power to the fullest. They have woven
for us a wonderful mosaic of music and dance, art, and literature to
comfort and inspire a troubled world.
The importance of this work is more important now, perhaps, than
ever before as our country and our world go through a period of
unprecedented change, changes that are
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both bringing us together and ripping up the bonds that have united us
in the past. In a nation as diverse as ours, our arts and our humanities
are bridges to help us reach out to one another and understand one
another better. Projects like the NEH's national conversation are truly
helping us to accomplish this.
In the face of those who would divide us, we must remain steadfast
in supporting the arts and humanities as a way of coming together while
we celebrate our diversity. Our support for them is not the preservation
of some extravagant cultural elite, it is the preservation of our
cultural tradition for all Americans and especially for those who,
unlike me and so many of us, are not part of anybody's elite, and they
need their country to make sure they have access to the great heritage
of America as well.
For the last 30 years, the National Endowment for the Arts and the
National Endowment for the Humanities have made the arts and humanities
accessible to millions of our fellow citizens from school children to
people in our inner cities to citizens in our most isolated rural
communities, many of whom would never have experienced these gifts had
they not been offered so freely by our Nation's artists and scholars and
by their Nation's Government.
For a very small contribution, both the NEA and the NEH have made
vital contributions to the life of this Nation. Each of the awardees we
recognize here today has been a pioneer. Sometimes they've made us
laugh. Sometimes they've helped us cry. Sometimes they've challenged us
to see the error of our ways. Sometimes they've helped us to celebrate
the strength of our goodness. But always they have lifted us to higher
ground.
I am honored to confer upon this wonderful group of Americans the
National Medal of the Arts and the Charles Frankel Prize. First, the
Medal of the Arts winners.
Licia Albanese: the beginning of her career came as something of a
surprise. When the lead soprano in a Milan production of Madame
Butterfly fell ill during the performance, this young singer was called
upon to finish the opera. Her performance that evening brought the house
down. And a career that spanned more than 30 years was launched.
She went on to leading roles in operas all around the world, always
creating characters memorable not only for the arias they sang, but for
their intense vitality. She had the rare ability to combine her great
talent as a singer with equal talent as an actress. It was once said
that Licia Albanese had the two qualities which all great artists have,
simplicity and sincerity. Most recently, she and her late husband
founded the Puccini Foundation, and she has worked tirelessly for the
benefit of opera and its survival as an art form.
Please welcome our first honoree, Licia Albanese.
[At this point, the President and the First Lady presented the medal and
congratulated Ms. Albanese.]
Gwendolyn Brooks began writing poetry when she was only 11. And at
the age of 13, her first poem was published. More than 75 others
followed, while she was still a teenager. For four decades, Gwendolyn
Brooks has drawn on the black experience to create poetry that speaks to
all of us in a frank and familiar way. She served as the poetry
consultant to the Library of Congress, and today is the Poet Laureate of
Illinois. In 1949, she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for poetry. She
has kept alive the culture of her roots through the cultivation of her
words.
Gwendolyn Brooks.
[The President and the First Lady presented the medal and congratulated
Ms. Brooks.]
Each painter, performer or thinker here today has in one way or
another served to create a legacy in the halls of American art. Their
contributions shall be forever remembered in their fields and beyond.
But their work might never have seen the light of day were it not for
generous, committed, and visionary citizens like two of those whom we
honor, Iris and Bernie Cantor.
They have helped literally countless young artists to succeed.
They've introduced countless young people to the joys of art. The grants
and gifts bestowed by the Cantor family have built and filled the
galleries and museums across our Nation. From the Rodin sculptures given
to New York's Metropolitan
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Museum of Art, to the grants for exhibitions at institutions such as our
own Arkansas Art Center at home, to the sculpture exhibit here at the
White House, the Cantors' love for art has known no bounds. They've done
much to keep the arts alive in America, and we owe them our thanks.
Bernie could not be with us here today. But Hillary and I are delighted
that our good friend, Iris Cantor, is here to accept the award on behalf
of both of them.
Iris and Bernie Cantor.
[The President and the First Lady presented the medal and congratulated
Mrs. Cantor.]
It's a special honor for me today to honor another husband and wife
team that has shown that a commitment to the issues facing the world
around us can be just as important a part of their lives and our lives
as a commitment to the art one creates. Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee met in
1946, performing in a Broadway version of Jeb Turner. I want to say that
again. They met in 1946, while performing in a Broadway version of Jeb
Turner--[laughter]--a play in which she was violating the child labor
laws at the time. [Laughter] They were married a year later. And they
have performed individually and together now for almost 50 years.
While the stage and screen have kept them busy with such projects as
``A Raisin in the Sun,'' ``The Jackie Robinson Story,'' and ``Do The
Right Thing,'' they have continued to fight for others' struggle for
equality. Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee have helped groups such as the NAACP,
the Urban League, the AIDS projects, like Housing Works. In 1986 they
produced a PBS tribute entitled, ``Martin Luther King: The Dream and the
Drum.'' Their vision and their talent shine as brightly today as they
did on that first day when they met on Broadway so long ago, and our
country is very much a better place because of their life and their
work.
[The President and the First Lady presented the medal and congratulated
Ossie Davis and his wife, Ruby Dee.]
Having written no fewer than 100 pieces of music by the time he
graduated from high school, David Diamond was well on his way to
becoming one of America's most accomplished and disciplined composers
very early in his youth. His dedication and commitment throughout his
distinguished career has made him a master at the craft of creating
music.
He's a proud adherent to the classical tradition, and has made
outstanding contributions to the field for more than 60 years now. An
inspiration both to those within his field as well as those who simply
enjoy the music he creates, David Diamond truly exemplifies the spirit
of American creativity.
Mr. Diamond.
[The President and the First Lady presented the medal and congratulated
Mr. Diamond.]
Born in Germany, James Ingo Freed came to the United States as a 9-
year-old refugee in 1939. After earning his architectural degree in
1953, he joined the offices of I.M. Pei and Partners. Widely published
and respected within the world of architecture, he has been the
recipient of many major awards, and most recently, he has been
justifiably celebrated for his creation of the magnificent, for most of
us, overwhelming United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, an
extraordinary structure that houses many painful memories, but
ultimately inspires its visitors to strive for a better future. We're
honoring him today for that monumental achievement, but also for his
lifelong dedication to his craft which continues in this city at this
moment as the Federal Triangle Building comes up and moves toward
completion. Let's give him a warm welcome.
James Ingo Freed.
[The President and the First Lady presented the medal and congratulated
Mr. Freed.]
Our next awardee obviously needs no introduction. He was cited by
the Guiness Book of Records as the most honored entertainer in the
world. [Laughter] Maybe we ought not to do this. [Laughter] Bob Hope has
more than 1,000 awards and citations for his humanitarian and
professional success. He's been honored more than--I think, five times
by the Motion Picture Academy, including receiving an honorary Oscar and
the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. But I know something that some of
you probably don't know. He would far rather go down in history as a
great golfer. [Laughter] This
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morning when I saw him Bob said, ``Well, how's your golf game?'' I said,
``It's pretty good, but it's too rainy today. We can't play.'' He said,
``That's too bad, I'll miss taking your money.'' [Laughter]
Unfortunately, that's not as funny as you think it is. [Laughter] Known
the world over for his wonderful wit and sense of humor, Bob Hope has
brought laughter and pleasure and a happier outlook on life to
generations of American citizens, and especially to our troops in
uniform all around the world.
He began entertaining American servicemen and women even before
World War II, and he's done it in every conflict since. In 1971, Bob
Hope took his commitment to the people of America one step further by
applying for a visa to Laos to help negotiate the release of our
prisoners there. When he wasn't performing across oceans, Bob Hope was
making films and making people laugh here in America. I can honestly say
that those films are still making all the members of my family laugh
every time they're shown on the television here.
But even with his busy career, Bob Hope never lost sight of the
truly important things in life, helping people in need. He's helped
raise more than $1 billion for hospitals, for the disabled, the Boy
Scouts, and numerous other health and human service causes. His annual
golf tournament every year, which he still plays in, directs, and
manages, is an example of a man whose commitment to doing this kind of
work truly is a lifetime endeavor.
He is perhaps the finest example of a successful American
entertainer whose greatest performance is in what he does off stage
every day. I am so delighted that Bob Hope and his wonderful wife,
Delores, are both here today. And I'd like to ask Bob now to come up and
receive his award.
Mr. Bob Hope.
[The President and the First Lady presented the medal and congratulated
Mr. Hope.]
Mr. Hope. I just want to say a couple of words. I appreciate this,
Mr. President. [Laughter] But last year during our golf tournament, I
called the President and I said, ``Do you think you could get out here
and play with us during our tournament.'' And he said, ``I don't know.''
And I got a hold of Mr. Bush, George Bush, and I got a hold of President
Ford. And the four of us played, and we raised $1,400,000 for the
hospital out there.
And I just wanted to thank him right now in person. That's it;
that's it. [Laughter]
The President. American art is not limited to portraits or
landscapes or still lifes. The broad range of subjects reflects the
diversity of American experience. Roy Lichtenstein is one of the
pioneers who challenged convention and opened our eyes to new styles of
expression. In the early sixties, he was one of just a small group to
experiment with popular icons as subject material. I hope that doesn't
make a comeback. [Laughter]
His works are well known, and have appeared in numerous exhibitions
all around this country. In addition, Roy was one of several artists
commissioned to work on the New York State Pavilion for the 1964 World
Fair. I hope that the pioneering spirit exemplified by Roy Lichtenstein
will always, always live in the artists of America. It's been a real
honor for Hillary and for me to get to know Roy and his wife and his
work. And we're very grateful for it, and glad to honor him here today.
Roy Lichtenstein.
[The President and the First Lady presented the medal and congratulated
Mr. Lichtenstein.]
For nearly four decades, Arthur Mitchell has been a pivotal figure
in American dance. The protege of the great George Balanchine, he was
the first African-American dancer to become a principal artist in the
New York City Ballet. After leaving the company in 1966, he went on to a
career on Broadway and as an artistic director. But always, always,
there was the call of his home, Harlem.
Following the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1968, the next
year Arthur Mitchell realized a dream by returning to Harlem as the
founder of the Dance Theater of Harlem. It is now recognized as one of
the world's premier dance troupes. His dedication to young people and to
dance are truly legendary. We are honored by his presence here today,
and by the lifetime of creativity, achievement he has demonstrated, and
most of all, that he found a way to go back to his
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roots and lift people up with their God-given talents.
Mr. Arthur Mitchell.
[The President and the First Lady presented the medal and congratulated
Mr. Mitchell.]
Speaking of roots, this next awardee is one from mine. Bill Monroe
is heralded as the Father of Bluegrass Music, a title that is a fitting
tribute to his truly innovative and inventive style. Bluegrass is known
for its free improvisation, and in its way, it embodies the essence of
the American spirit. Bill's own roots stem from rural Kentucky. When he
was just 10 years old, he began to play the guitar and the mandolin.
Along with his two older brothers, Charlie and Birch, he made music on
the front porch of their family home. Later, Bill Monroe and his Blue
Grass Boys established themselves as more than just a string band by
blending different vocal harmonies with instrumental solos. And over the
years, the band continued to gain recognition for its novel combination
of instruments.
Bill Monroe was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1970
and joined the International Bluegrass Music Association's Hall of Honor
in 1991. For people who follow and love that music, Bill Monroe is truly
an American legend. He's added so much through his lifetime career to
the rich heritage of this great Nation's music.
Mr. Bill Monroe.
[The President and the First Lady presented the medal and congratulated
Mr. Monroe.]
He said, ``I'm younger than Bob Hope, but I'd still like to say a
thing or two.'' [Laughter]
Mr. Monroe. Bob Hope is a great man. I'm glad that he's here. But
what I wanted to tell you folks, I have played for the last four
Presidents of the United States, President Carter, President Reagan,
President Bush, President Clinton here. And they all tell me that the
music I originated belongs to America. And I'm really proud of that.
It's a great honor. Thank you.
The President. Thank you. God bless you.
Now, it is a great honor for me to present the award we give every
year to an arts organization. As the largest and most comprehensive arts
and education program in the entire Nation, Urban Gateways has been
cited as a model by the National Endowment for the Arts. In 1994 alone,
Urban Gateways reached over 1 million people in over 11,000 programs
established in Chicago area schools. Armed with the belief that exposure
to the arts is crucial to personal development, the program helps bridge
the gap between Chicago's vast cultural wealth and the huge number of
children from disadvantaged communities. At a time when so many of our
children are being lost to the horrors of drugs and violence, Urban
Gateways has assumed responsibility for our young people's youth. The
organization gives them guidance and an important outlet for their
creative energies.
Here today to accept the award is Urban Gateways' Executive Director
Sandra Furey. She has led Urban Gateways to the front lines in the
campaign to keep the arts alive in the minds of our children, and in so
doing, to keep our children alive and well and strong for the future of
this great Nation. Let's give her a big hand.
[The President and the First Lady presented the medal and congratulated
Ms. Furey.]
And now it is my honor to introduce the winners of the 1995 Charles
Frankel Prize. The first winner, Bill Ferris, leads the sort of life I'd
like to lead if I had another one to live. I mean, he lives in the deep
South. He writes funny, wonderful books. And he's still trying to find
out if Elvis is alive. He's probably done more than anyone else to bring
national recognition and understanding to the field of Southern studies.
As many of you know, he seriously was one of the organizers of the
recent, highly successful ``Elvis'' conference at the University of
Mississippi at Oxford. Since 1979, he has directed the Center for the
Study of Southern Culture at Ole Miss, where he's built southern studies
curriculum into the most extensive in the Nation. He was a consultant to
the movie ``The Color Purple,'' and for nearly a decade until 1994, as
the blues doctor, he hosted ``Highway 61,'' a weekly blues music program
that airs on Mississippi public radio. His scholarship covers the fields
of folklore, American literature, music and photography.
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I want to thank him for bringing the culture and music of my
homeland to all Americans. A remarkable person.
Mr. Bill Ferris.
[The President and the First Lady presented the medal and congratulated
Mr. Ferris.]
Too often, television overlooks the lives and poignant stories of
ordinary Americans who may not show up on the evening news, but whose
extraordinary lives keep our country going. Charles Kuralt recognized
this problem nearly 30 years ago. In 1967, he asked his boss to let him
wander around the country for 3 months, and the critically acclaimed
show, ``On the Road,'' was born. Through his travels, Charles Kuralt
brought hundreds of courageous Americans into the living rooms of our
country. And in so doing, he helped raise issues of social concern, such
as funding for education, the problems of poverty, the plight of small
businesses. But understanding the needs of others comes naturally to
Charles Kuralt. His father, Wallace, was a North Carolina social worker
who worked all his life on programs that provided day care, substance
abuse counseling, and planned parenthood services. That spirit is alive
and well in his son today.
The numerous awards and 13 Emmys Charles Kuralt holds are but a
small reward for what he has given to all the rest of us. It's
unfortunate that he was unable to attend today. We send him our wishes
for a very speedy recovery from surgery that he had earlier this week,
and we're glad that here to receive his award is his daughter, Lisa
Kuralt White.
[The President and the First Lady presented the medal and congratulated
Ms. White.]
David Macaulay has written several books detailing the insides of
complicated machines. He can even explain ``the way things work.''
[Laughter] We could use him around here in the next couple of weeks.
[Laughter] He has devoted his professional life to the investigation of
architecture and mechanics. His books have helped children and adults
alike to understand the world's rich history of construction and
architecture. Using detailed illustrations, his books help to unfold the
mysteries of both man and machine. David Macaulay's works serve as a
bridge between humankind's earliest attempts at building and the most
modern techniques of today. His painstaking efforts have made knowledge
and investigation more accessible to the rest of us who could never have
understood them on our own but whose lives were richer and more
enlightened and whose citizenship more informed as a result of his work.
Mr. David Macaulay.
[The President and the First Lady presented the medal and congratulated
Mr. Macaulay.]
All of us know that history well-written and well-learned can be a
great teacher. It can demonstrate what we are capable of at our best and
what we may do wrong at our worst. In his remarkable body of work, David
McCullough has shown us the true character of many of our country's most
heroic figures and many of its most important events and eras.
From his wonderfully successful and enlightening biography on
President Truman, to his look at the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, to
his work as the voice of the highly regarded PBS series, ``The American
Experience,'' David McCullough has given us a window into the lives of
outstanding Americans and important events. His work emphasizes the
value of history and our place in it. Along with his research, he spends
many hours working for the preservation of historic sites, of public
libraries, and of other institutions across America which enable us to
preserve and learn about our roots. We should never forget what David
McCullough has asked us to remember. And we should never forget his
incredible contribution in helping us to preserve that memory.
Mr. David McCullough.
[The President and the First Lady presented the medal and congratulated
Mr. McCullough.]
Bernice Johnson Reagon is perhaps best known as the guiding spirit
and resonant alto voice of Sweet Honey in the Rock, the famous a
cappella quintet she founded in 1973. Singing an eclectic blend of
gospel, jazz, folk and rhythm and blues, the group has carried its
message of world peace, women's rights
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and racial harmony on tour throughout our nation and throughout the
world. If that were all she had done, Professor Reagon would be worthy
of this award. But her creative energy is truly unlimited.
For nearly 35 years, she's helped to preserve, celebrate and
illuminate the rich heritage of African-American music as a civil rights
activist, as a singer-composer, an author, an historian, a museum
curator. Since 1993, she's been distinguished professor of history at
American University here in Washington. Her latest contribution to
public understanding of African-American music is the 26-part radio
documentary, ``Wade in the Water: African-American Sacred Music
Traditions,'' which aired beginning in 1994 on National Public Radio
stations nationwide. She is a messenger of peace, and I am deeply
honored that she is with us today.
Sweet Honey in the Rock, for those of you who haven't heard it, is a
truly inspiring experience, but the work of her life is even more
inspiring.
[The President and the First Lady presented the medal and congratulated
Ms. Johnson Reagon.]
Let me thank again all the honorees and congratulate them. Thank all
of you for coming. Let me thank all the distinguished saxophonists, who
came here to be with us today, for their work. [Applause] Thank you all
for your contributions and your devotion to the American way of life.
God bless you all. Thank you.
Note: The President spoke at 1:15 p.m. on the South Lawn at the White
House.