    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book II)]
    [October 14, 1994]
    [Pages 1762-1766]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on Presenting Arts and Humanities Awards
    October 14, 1994

        Thank you very much. Ladies and gentlemen, Hillary and I are
    delighted to have all of you here today. This is the second year I've
    had the pleasure of honoring the winners of the National Medal of the
    Arts and the Charles Frankel Prize. And it's really one of the great
    pleasures of my job. I may or may not be the first President who's
    actually reviewed the recommendations of the committee when they send
    them to me for who should receive the prize, but it enables me to sort
    of relive large chunks of my life as I see the artists who have been
    recommended for this esteemed honor.
        Today we celebrate the human imagination and its power to move us
    forward as a civilization. In honoring our finest artists and humanists,
    we honor the great American cultural traditions of pluralism, free
    expression, and tolerance. We honor the quality of our civic life, which
    for more than two centuries has offered hope and opportunities to
    Americans from all walks of life, even in the midst of momentous social
    and political change.
        The arts and humanities are our bridge as a people, our bridge to
    one another. Whatever divisions exist among us, the arts and humanities
    draw us together. They enable us to celebrate our own individual
    identities, while also teaching us about the things we share as
    Americans. They give us a window on the human condition that prevents us
    from becoming too complacent or too numb or too fearful of the
    challenges and complexities of the world of today and tomorrow.
        Too often we think of art and scholarship, of creative expression
    and the world of ideas, as the provinces of a cultural elite. Indeed,
    too often these very arguments have been made by those who would seek to
    divide us one from another, to divide those who write our songs and
    paint our pictures and act in our dramas from what they would call
    normal Americans. But the truth is that the arts and humanities don't
    discriminate or prejudge, they honor all of us equally. And when we
    listen and look and feel, they bind us together instead of giving in to
    those who would divide us.
        Song, dance, painting, drama, books, ideas, and scholarship have
    never been the province of one ethnic group, one religion, one political
    faction in this country. They are part of our common heritage. They
    convey all the distinct and different voices, emotions, and images that
    together make up what is a uniquely American culture. That's why they
    can be a powerful source of our renewal and our common unity as we move
    forward into the 21st century.
        We need only look at our own history to know that every step we have
    taken forward as a democracy has coincided with a period of great
    artistic and intellectual ferment. By fueling our own imaginations, by
    enlarging our understanding of human experience, the arts and humanities
    have always given us greater confidence to confront whatever
    uncertainties loom before us. We need that now, greater confidence in
    the face of uncertainty, because I believe more than I can convey in
    words that the 21st century can be our greatest time if we learn to
    relish and cherish and celebrate our diversity and to face our
    challenges with genuine confidence. [Applause] You know, I'm glad you
    clapped for that because it wasn't in the notes; it's just what I wanted
    to say. [Laughter] The president of my alma mater, Georgetown, is over
    there. He's very glad I'm well-educated enough to think of

    [[Page 1763]]

    one coherent sentence that wasn't written for me. [Laughter]
        Given that this is National Arts and Humanities Month, it's an
    appropriate time also to remember that public support for the arts and
    humanities, while always a minor portion of overall financial backing,
    remains essential today. And it will be so, as far as we can foresee.
    Therefore, I want to thank especially all those people who were
    individually introduced by the First Lady just a few moments ago. They
    are a powerful voice for arts and humanities within this administration,
    and I am very proud of each and every one of them and the service they
    render to the United States.
        Now, I have the honor of conferring the National Medal of the Arts
    and the Charles Frankel Prize on a wonderful group of awardees.
        First, to a man whose music I love and who I found to be one of the
    funniest people I ever saw perform in person, who later lived long
    enough to be able to encourage and on occasion rebuke me as President,
    Harry Belafonte. Harry Belafonte once brought tears to my eyes of
    laughter at one of his concerts and later brought tears to my eyes with
    his passion for an event which is unfolding today, the return of
    President Aristide to Haiti. He once said, ``The role of art isn't just
    to show life as it is but to show life as it should be.'' Well, Harry
    Belafonte has not only brought joy to his audiences, but he's inspired
    people throughout the world with his dedication to freedom movements and
    humanitarian causes.
        Singer, actor, producer, Harry Belafonte has set industry standards
    with many successes. His third album, ``Calypso,'' was the first ever to
    sell over a million copies. We're familiar with his work on U.S.A. for
    Africa, which produced a Grammy award-winning album and video, ``We Are
    The World.'' Today he continues to bring art and activism together to
    inspire all of us to live our lives with passion and with concern for
    others.
        Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in congratulating Harry
    Belafonte.

    [At this point, the President congratulated Mr. Belafonte, and Hillary
    Clinton presented the medal.]

        The next awardee is the first person on this list whose work ever
    touched me personally. I'll never forget the first time when, as a high
    school musician, I discovered that I could actually play the saxophone
    lead in ``Take Five.'' And Mr. Brubeck, I can still almost do it.
    [Laughter]
        A pianist, composer, and bandleader, Dave Brubeck is truly an
    American jazz legend. Reaching international stardom in the 1950's, the
    Dave Brubeck Quartet performed with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie,
    Stan Getz, and others. The ``Time Out'' album was the first modern jazz
    album to go gold. A classically trained musician, Dave Brubeck is also
    recognized worldwide for his compositions that include ballet scores,
    piano concertos, oratorios, cantatas, and a mass. Merging both of his
    interests, he was a pioneer in combining jazz and symphony sounds.
        I can also tell you that he is still playing all the time and very
    well. It is my great personal honor to present the next award to Dave
    Brubeck.

    [The President congratulated Mr. Brubeck, and Hillary Clinton presented
    the medal.]

        Contralto Celia Cruz is known internationally as the Queen of Salsa.
    Born in Havana, she began her vocal career singing her younger siblings
    to sleep. It wasn't long, though, before she began electrifying
    audiences on a larger scale. She's sung with Latin musical greats like
    La Sonora Matancera, Tito Puente, and Johnny Pacheco. Celia Cruz has
    used her powerful voice and style to transplant Afro-Cuban music to
    every corner of the globe. Please congratulate Celia Cruz.

    [The President congratulated Ms. Cruz, and Hillary Clinton presented the
    medal.]

        Since beginning her career as a violin teacher at the Juilliard
    School in 1948, Dorothy DeLay has inspired and instructed dozens of
    virtuosos and concert masters from all over the world. Instead of
    teaching a particular technique or a tone, her greatest achievement has
    been to draw out the individual talents and passions of her students.
    Through her guidance and encouragement, artists such as Itzhak Perlman,
    Sarah Chang, Nadja Solerno-Sonnenberg, Cho-Liang Lin, and Nigel Kennedy
    have become internationally renowned violinists. Itzhak Perlman said
    this: ``Miss DeLay's contributions to the excellence of the arts in this
    country are vast, and her place in the history of classical music is
    secure.'' No one could say it better.

    [[Page 1764]]

    [The President congratulated Ms. DeLay, and Hillary Clinton presented
    the medal.]

        Anyone who has ever seen our next awardee perform knows what great
    acting is all about. Julie Harris is a 5-time Tony Award winner, one of
    our Nation's most talented and versatile actresses. Her credits include
    ``I Am a Camera,'' ``The Lark,'' ``Forty Carats,'' ``The Last of Mrs.
    Lincoln,'' and ``The Belle of Amherst,'' in which she had the starring
    role as Emily Dickinson. That 1976 production broke box office records
    here at the Kennedy Center as well as in Philadelphia and Boston. Her
    stage successes won her the New York Drama Critics Circle Award and the
    Donaldson Award. She has also, as all of you know, lent her considerable
    talents to television, radio, and film. Miss Julie Harris.

    [The President congratulated Ms. Harris, and Hillary Clinton presented
    the medal.]

        Our next honoree is truly a pioneer in his field. Erick Hawkins was
    the first American in George Balanchine's School of American Ballet and
    the first male dancer in Martha Graham's company. In 1951, he opened his
    own dance school and founded a dance company, both of which continue to
    add vitality and originality to the dance world today. As a
    choreographer, dancer, and teacher, Erick Hawkins' unique talent has
    been to place dance in a larger cultural and philosophical context. For
    his boldness and talent, Erick Hawkins commands a legendary place in
    American modern dance heritage. Erick Hawkins.

    [The President congratulated Mr. Hawkins, and Hillary Clinton presented
    the medal.]

        Our next honoree is Gene Kelly. Perhaps the most versatilely
    talented and widely admired American dancer, singer, and actor of this
    generation. He wanted very much to be here today and had planned to
    come, but at the last moment was literally forbidden by his doctors to
    do so. So his wife has come to receive the award for him.
        All of you know that he is an award-winning director, choreographer,
    and producer, a household name who has inspired even the most
    uncoordinated among us to imitate his memorable scenes, as I must
    confess I tried to do for my daughter not very long ago when he was
    singing in the rain on television. Every one of you has probably done
    the same thing, if you would be perfectly honest about it. [Laughter]
        Having performed in such timeless classics as ``For Me and My Gal,''
    ``Anchors Aweigh,'' ``On the Town,'' and ``An American in Paris,'' its's
    no wonder that he received a Kennedy Center Award in 1982 for his
    lifetime contribution to the arts. Whether on stage or screen, Gene
    Kelly is an American treasure whose musicals entertain people of all
    generations. Even though he is unable to join us today, we know he's
    here with us in spirit. We're glad that Patricia is here to accept this
    award on his behalf. Mr. Gene Kelly.

    [The President congratulated Mrs. Kelly, and Hillary Clinton presented
    the medal.]

        The next awardee is the second person on this list who had a
    personal impact on my life, and I would daresay, the lives of every
    American citizen, at least every American who is 50 years of age or
    younger and maybe who's 75 or 80 or younger. Pete Seeger is an American
    legend. Influenced by his father, Charles Seeger, a famous American
    musicologist, he achieved international fame as a folk singer,
    songwriter, and political activist in the fifties and sixties. Among his
    many credits are performing with Woodie Guthrie's band and composing
    ``If I Had a Hammer,'' ``Where Have all the Flowers Gone,'' and many
    other songs that all of us know by heart. He has also lent his music to
    support the civil right movement, the protection of our environment, and
    the labor movement. Occasionally he still picks up his banjo, and anyone
    who is fortunate enough to listen will attest still to his place as one
    of our most enduring and endearing and important folk musicians. Mr.
    Peter Seeger.

    [The President congratulated Mr. Seeger, and Hillary Clinton presented
    the medal.]

        Catherine Filene Shouse has been a lifelong patron of the arts. Her
    leadership has supported the Washington Ballet, the Washington Opera,
    the Kennedy Center, the New York City, and Miami City Ballets. For a
    half century, she worked on behalf of the National Symphony Orchestra.
    In 1966, she donated 100 acres of her Virginia farm as well as funds for
    an amphitheater to the United States Government. The Wolf Trap Farm Park
    for the Performing Arts is America's first and only national park
    dedicated to the performing arts and related educational programs. It is
    a truly national treasure that I think we should all be grateful for. I

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    wish we had more national parks that were for people to work in and
    learn in and live in. We owe her a lot, and today we recognize her for
    her signal gifts.

    [The President congratulated Ms. Shouse, and Hillary Clinton presented
    the medal.]

        Professor Wayne Thiebaud is not your average college art teacher. A
    professor at the University of California at Davis, he's also an
    internationally renowned artist whose painting are on display at the
    Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney
    Museum of Art in New York, the Chicago Art Institute, Harvard's Fogg Art
    Museum, and the San Francisco Museum of Art.
        While his works hang on the walls of the most famous American
    museums, his teaching allows serious art students to learn and develop
    from his own artistic genius. I don't know about you, but one of the
    things that I'd like to say is we probably ought to recognize more
    teachers in this world. And when a teacher has this kind of gift and
    decides on his own initiative to keep on teaching, that in itself is a
    contribution worthy of this medal. Thank you.

    [The President congratulated Mr. Thiebaud, and Hillary Clinton presented
    the medal.]

        Richard Wilbur has been a poet, translator, teacher, Broadway
    lyricist, among others, for--I have to plug one of my favorites--for the
    work he did with Lillian Hellman and Leonard Bernstein on ``Candide.'' A
    critic and editor, an author of children's books, foremost among his
    literary achievements have been his poetry and his translations. He has
    won two Pulitizer Prizes, the National Book Award, was our second poet
    laureate. For his translation of French plays, he's won the Bolligen and
    PEN translation prizes. His translations from Moliere and Racine are the
    most celebrated American translations from the French theater. I think
    that all of us know that Richard Wilbur is, among all other things, one
    of the greatest poets of the 20th century, and we honor him today.

    [The President congratulated Mr. Wilbur, and Hillary Clinton presented
    the medal.]

        We're giving an award to an organization now that is terribly
    important. In a time when many schools are having to scale back or
    eliminate their music, theater, or dance programs, Young Audiences
    Incorporated is helping to make the performing arts an essential part of
    young people's education. Last year Young Audiences' professional
    artists presented nearly 50,000 performances, reaching more than 6
    million public school students. Coordinating with schools and
    communities to establish partnerships on behalf of arts education, Young
    Audiences has been instrumental in bringing the enrichment of performing
    arts to millions of young people all across our country. That is a
    terrific achievement, and I am honored to present the medal to one of
    our most outstanding young musicians, Yo Yo Ma.

    [The President congratulated Mr. Ma, and Hillary Clinton presented the
    medal.]

        I now present the winners of the 1994 Charles Frankel Prize for
    their work in the humanities. And I begin quite proudly with a man who
    has been a longtime personal friend of the First Lady and of mine, whose
    work in education will influence educators and therefore help students
    well into the next century. Ernest Boyer is a distinguished scholar,
    educator, and administrator who has demonstrated in his life an
    unparalleled commitment to educational excellence.
        As president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of
    Teaching at Princeton, he's helped lead the national education debate
    for more than 10 years now. He has consistently cited as one of our
    Nation's foremost advocates of educational reform. And I can tell you
    that, having worked with him myself for the better part of a decade,
    deep in his heart he does believe that all children can learn and that
    we can find a way to teach them. Mr. Ernest Boyer.

    [The President congratulated Mr. Boyer, and Hillary Clinton presented
    the prize.]

        A professor of English at the University of Montana and an
    accomplished writer, William Kittredge is considered the leading scholar
    of the American West. His essays, memoirs, short stories, and film
    screenplays about the West have reached a national audience. Helping to
    establish Western regional studies as an academic field, he has taken
    Americans beyond the sentimentalized view of the Old West, providing us
    with a more complex and worthy history of the American West. Mr. William
    Kittredge.

    [The President congratulated Mr. Kittredge, and Hillary Clinton
    presented the prize.]

    [[Page 1766]]

        For the past 20 years, Peggy Whitman Prenshaw has been a champion of
    the humanities. A distinguished scholar of Southern literature at
    Louisiana State University, she has organized, conducted, or
    participated in dozens of public humanities forums in Mississippi and
    Louisiana. She has been a tireless advocate of the humanities in
    American civic life and has served on the Mississippi Humanities
    Council, the Federation of State Humanities Councils, and the Louisiana
    Endowment for the Humanities. She is my neighbor, and I know of her work
    and how much it has meant to so many of those ordinary citizens who
    might never have seen some of the things they saw but for her efforts.
    Thank you very much.

    [The President congratulated Ms. Prenshaw, and Hillary Clinton presented
    the prize.]

        It is a great personal honor for me to have the opportunity to
    present the next award to our good friend Sharon Percy Rockefeller, the
    president and chief executive officer of WETA from 1989 to 1994. She has
    led TV 26 in becoming the third largest producer of national programs
    for the Public Broadcasting Service. During her tenure, the weekly
    viewership of WETA TV 26 grew to an unprecedented one million viewers
    and WETA became a forerunner in the production of outstanding
    programming in the arts and humanities. Most notable among the long list
    of excellent programs is WETA's co-production of Ken Burns' magnificent
    1990 documentary ``The Civil War,'' the highest rated program in the
    history of public television.

    [The President congratulated Ms. Rockefeller, and Hillary Clinton
    presented the prize.]

        You know what she said when I gave it to her? She said, ``Don't
    forget `Baseball.''' And it was the only baseball we had this year.
    [Laughter]
        Today, Dorothy Porter Wesley is recognized for her role as a
    preeminent archivist of African-Americana. During her 43-year tenure as
    the principal compiler of the black studies collection housed at Howard
    University's Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, she has set national
    standards for collecting, preserving, and making accessible thousands of
    books, pamphlets, manuscripts, portraits, and artifacts relating to
    blacks in America and in Africa. She was the visiting senior scholar at
    the W.E.B. DuBois Institute for Afro-American Research at Harvard
    University. She also is still in her heart a librarian. The first thing
    she asked me when I saw her today was whether I was using the White
    House Library. [Laughter] The second thing I did was get a reprimand for
    having four overdue books. [Laughter] Please welcome her here today.

    [The President congratulated Ms. Wesley, and Hillary Clinton presented
    the prize.]

        The final presentation is of a Presidential Citizens Medal to an
    invaluable ally of the arts and humanities in Congress, the
    distinguished chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
    Claiborne Pell of Rhode Island. Senator Pell is one of the founding
    fathers of the National Endowment for the Arts and the National
    Endowment for the Humanities. He has tirelessly served this country
    through legislative leadership and unwavering advocacy of the arts and
    humanities. As chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Education, Arts
    and Humanities, he's been instrumental in providing opportunities for
    artists in funding arts programs and preservation projects and in
    bringing the experience and the appreciation of the arts to communities
    all across this country.
        Let us give him a warm round of applause. Senator Pell,
    congratulations. [Applause]

    [The President congratulated Senator Pell, and Hillary Clinton presented
    the medal.]

        Now, let's end this program with a thanks to the good Lord for
    keeping the rain away and a good round of applause to all of our
    honorees. [Applause]
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:52 p.m. on the South Lawn at the White
    House.