[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 127, 113th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 9027--SEPT. 30, 2013

Proclamation 9027 of September 30, 2013

National Arts and Humanities Month, 2013
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Throughout our history, America has advanced not only because of our
people's will or our leaders' vision, but also because of paintings and
poems, stories and songs, dramas and dances. These works open our minds
and nourish our souls, helping us understand what it means to be human
and what it means to be American. During National Arts and Humanities
Month, we celebrate the rich heritage of arts and humanities that has
long been at the core of our country's story.
Our history is a testament to the boundless capacity of the arts and
humanities to shape our views of democracy, freedom, and tolerance. Each
of us knows what it is like to have our beliefs changed by a writer's
perspective, our understanding deepened by a historian's insight, or our
waning spirit lifted by a singer's voice. These are some of the most
striking and memorable moments in our lives, and they reflect lasting
truths--that the arts and humanities speak to everyone and that



[[Page 1365]]

in the great arsenal of progress, the human imagination is our
most powerful tool.
Ensuring our children and our grandchildren can share these same
experiences and hone their own talents is essential to our Nation's
future. Somewhere in America, the next great author is wrestling with a
sentence in her first short story, and the next great artist is doodling
in the pages of his notebook. We need these young people to succeed as
much as we need our next generation of engineers and scientists to
succeed. And that is why my Administration remains dedicated to
strengthening initiatives that not only provide young people with the
nurturing that will help their talents grow, but also the skills to
think critically and creatively throughout their lives.
This month, we pay tribute to the indelible ways the arts and humanities
have shaped our Union. Let us encourage future generations to carry this
tradition forward. And as we do so, let us celebrate the power of
artistic expression to bridge our differences and reveal our common
heritage.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2013 as
National Arts and Humanities Month. I call upon the people of the United
States to join together in observing this month with appropriate
ceremonies, activities, and programs to celebrate the arts and the
humanities in America.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of
September, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
eighth.
BARACK OBAMA