[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
[April 22, 2002]
[Pages 648-651]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Remarks on Presenting the Arts and Humanities Awards
April 22, 2002
The President. Please be seated. We meet this evening to recognize
some of our Nation's finest artists and scholars and authors. We honor
their lifelong pursuit of excellence, and we hold up their achievements
to future generations.
I want to welcome you all. I want to thank Dr. Bruce Cole, who is the Chairman of the National Endowment for the
Humanities, and Eileen Mason, Acting Chairman
for the National Endowment for the Arts. I want to recognize Mrs. Lynne
Cheney; Secretary of State Colin Powell and his wife, Alma; Tom
Ridge, who is the Director of the Homeland
Security Office.
Tonight we've got members of the Supreme Court with us: Antonin
Scalia and his wife, Maureen; Stephen Breyer and his
wife, Joanna. We've got a special
entertainment tonight provided by my National Security Adviser,
Condoleezza Rice. [Laughter]
I want to thank the Members of the United States Congress who are
here: from the United States Senate, Pete Domenici and Joe Lieberman, and
from the House of Representatives, Norman Dicks, Mike McNulty, Tom
Petri, Silvestre Reyes, and Louise Slaughter.
I also want to thank Adair Margo, who is the
Chairman of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. I
want to thank the members of that committee, as well as the members of
the National Council on the Arts and National Council on the Humanities.
I also want to pay tribute to the memory of Michael Hammond, who
passed away in January after serving for only one week as the Chairman
of the National Endowment for the Arts. A classically educated scholar,
Mike Hammond was also a composer and an educator and an expert on the
neurology of the brain. All of us who
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were privileged to know Mike will miss him deeply.
The men and women who are about to receive the National Medal of
Arts and the National Humanities Medal are singers and dancers and
painters and producers and actors and writers and scholars. Yet, for all
their differences, they have one thing in common: They're all teachers.
They teach us about a ``Boy Named Sue''--[laughter]--about an ``Odd
Couple.'' They teach us about a ``Last Lion'' or a ``Ragman's Son.''
They help us to see more clearly and to think more deeply. They connect
our past to our present and point the way to our future. And of course,
they all have ``The Right Stuff.'' [Laughter]
Honoring our leading artists and writers comes naturally to us. Yet,
art and literature are often the first targets of tyranny, because
they're the most prominent features of a free, creative, and open
society. This creativity, this openness, and this freedom are what
America defends today.
This evening, as we celebrate the achievements of these remarkably
talented women and men, let us also take just a moment to celebrate the
Nation that esteems their craft, their hard work, and their sacrifice.
America is proud to stand for creativity and freedom and civilization,
and we honor these men and women who embody these values for America and
for the world.
It is now my privilege to present the 2001 National Humanities Medal
winners.
First, Jose Cisneros: Jose is well-known
and well-loved for his historically accurate depictions of the Old
Southwest. Major, please read the
citation.
[At this point, Maj. James M. McAllister, USA, Army Aide to the President, read the citation, and
the President presented the medal.]
The President. Robert Coles is a scholar,
teacher, psychiatrist, best known for his sensitive observation of the
inner lives of our children. Major,
please read the citation.
[Major McAllister read the citation, and
the President presented the medal.]
The President. Sharon Darling, a former
schoolteacher, is president of the National Center for Family Literacy,
an organization that spans the Nation and reaches thousands of families
every single year. Major, please read
the citation.
[Major McAllister read the citation, and
the President presented the medal.]
The President. William Manchester is
a gifted historian and biographer who makes the past come alive for
millions of the readers. Major, please
read the citation.
[Major McAllister read the citation, and
the President presented the medal.]
The President. Richard Peck has written
more than 25 novels for younger readers which stress the importance of
taking responsibility for one's actions. Major, please read the citation.
[Major McAllister read the citation, and
the President presented the medal.]
The President. Eileen Jackson Southern, who could not join us tonight, is a pioneering
musicologist who has helped us understand the power of African American
music. Major, please read the citation.
[Major McAllister read the citation.]
The President. Tom Wolfe is a chronicler of
our times who has told us more about ourselves than many shelves of
sociology books. Major, please read the
citation.
[Major McAllister read the citation, and
the President presented the medal.]
The President. The National Trust for Historic Preservation,
established by Congress in 1949, has worked more than 50 years to put
historic preservation on the national agenda. Major, please read the citation.
[Major McAllister read the citation, and
the President presented the medal.]
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The President. It is now my privilege to present the 2001 National
Medals of Arts winners.
Rudolfo Anaya, called the Godfather of
Chicano Literature, has written many works about the myths and folklore
of the Southwest. Major, please read the
citation.
[Major McAllister read the citation, and
the President presented the medal.]
The President. Johnny Cash: The Man in
Black, country legend, an American beloved by millions.
Major, please read the citation.
[Major McAllister read the citation, and
the President presented the medal.]
The President. Kirk Douglas is a
distinguished actor, director, writer, and producer who has brought us
more memorable performances on stage and screen than nearly anybody else
for the past 60 years. Major, please
read the citation.
[Major McAllister read the citation, and
the President presented the medal.]
The President. Helen Frankenthaler
is an abstract expressionist painter whose works combine thoughtfulness
with spontaneity. And I'm proud to say that Laura and I have one of her
early works, ``Painted on the 21st Street,'' which hangs in the private
residence at the White House. Major,
please read the citation.
[Major McAllister read the citation, and
the President presented the medal.]
The President. Judith Jamison: She's a
master dancer, teacher, choreographer, and arts administrator who has
been a creative force in the dance world for nearly four decades.
Major, please read the citation.
[Major McAllister read the citation, and
the President presented the medal.]
The President. Yo-Yo Ma: World-renowned cellist
who represents the very best in classical music. I tipped my hand a
little earlier, but later on this great American figure will be
performing with another world-renowned figure. [Laughter]
Major, please read the citation.
[Major McAllister read the citation, and
the President presented the medal.]
The President. Mike Nichols: The endlessly
inventive comedian, producer, and director of stage and screen.
Major, please read the citation.
[Major McAllister read the citation, and
the President presented the medal.]
The President. The Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, begun by master
dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey in 1958, today ranks as one of
America's most prestigious dance companies. Major, please read the citation.
[Major McAllister read the citation, and
the President presented the medal.]
The President. Yes. Alvin Ailey. Congratulations.
And now it is my great pleasure to introduce my wife--[laughter]--
the First Lady of the United States, Laura Bush.
[The First Lady congratulated the honorees and
introduced Yo-Yo Ma and Condoleezza Rice, who performed a duet on cello and piano.]
The President. Well, thank you all for coming tonight. It's been a
fantastic evening. Again, I want to congratulate our honorees. And may
God bless them, and may God continue to bless America.
Thank you.
Note: The President spoke at 5:30 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall. The
transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also included
the remarks of the First Lady.
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