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Mr. President:
I'm sorry I'm a little late.
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(laughter.)
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I had this thing I had to do.
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(laughter.)
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But I understand that people
have been drinking and --
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(laughter)
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-- and eating the big
shrimp around here.
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And I have to say that the
wait will have been worth it,
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because we are honoring
an extraordinary group
of individuals.
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Before I begin I just want to
make a few acknowledgements.
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First of all, somebody who
was busy with me today,
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and is busy every day on behalf
of the American people -- we
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have Speaker Nancy
Pelosi who is here.
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(applause.)
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We have somebody who has been a
great entrepreneur of the arts
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who we're glad accepted the
position of chairman of the NEA,
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Mr. Rocco Landesman,
who is here.
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Please give him a big
round of applause.
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(applause.)
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Another individual
who had an extraordinarily
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distinguished career in Congress
and has been a consistent
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supporter of the arts
and the humanities,
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and is somebody who doesn't
just talk bipartisan,
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but has always walked the
bipartisan walk -- we're
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grateful to have him
here, Mr. Jim Leach,
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chairman of the NEH.
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(applause.)
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Where's Jim?
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There he is.
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Two great friends of mine and
the co-chairs of The President's
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Commission on the Arts and
Humanities -- Ms. Margo Lion and
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Mr. George Stevens -- and all
the commission members who are
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here, will you please stand
and let us give you
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a round of applause.
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(applause.)
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And two recipients who were
not able to be here today,
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but I want to make mention of
them because obviously their
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careers have helped to mark the
landscape of American culture
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for decades -- Mr. Bob
Dylan and Clint Eastwood,
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who are both recipients but
could not make it today.
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So I wanted to make sure
that we acknowledge them.
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Now, all of us are here to share
a recognition of the importance
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of the arts and the humanities
-- pursuits and professions that
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enrich the mind, and
nourish the soul,
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and strengthen the
character of this country.
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They bring us joy.
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They bring us
understanding and insight.
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They bring us comfort in good
times and, perhaps especially,
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in difficult times in
our own lives and in the
life of our nation.
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This recognition is what led to
the founding of the Committee on
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the Arts and Humanities, the
National Endowment for the Arts,
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and the National Endowment
for the Humanities.
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Each of these institutions plays
a vital role in preserving and
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enhancing America's
cultural legacy.
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They promote works of the past.
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They cultivate the
talent of the future.
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They deserve our thanks.
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It is one of the special
privileges of this office that I
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have an opportunity,
from time to time,
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to take part in award
ceremonies like this;
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to honor individuals and
institutions that are important
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to me, personally, and important
to all of our citizens;
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to celebrate triumphs of the
arts and the humanities that
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bring us closer to an
understanding of what makes us
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American, but also
what makes us human.
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And one of the most
extraordinary features of
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America's cultural
inheritance is its dynamism
and its diversity.
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It's a culture that produced
Mark Twain and Toni Morrison,
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John Philip Sousa
and Louis Armstrong,
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Marian Anderson and Alvin Ailey.
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It's a culture in which
all of us can find a place,
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in which all of us
can take great pride.
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The men and women that we honor
today are a part of this unique
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American tradition.
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In a cultural moment that too
often prizes the sensational
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over the enduring, the
trivial over the profound,
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it's worth recalling the
contributions of the honorees in
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this room -- contributions that
at once reflect and rise above
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the particular moments
in which they're made.
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With us are actors and authors,
singers and sculptors,
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conductors, curators,
collectors, civic leaders,
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champions of the arts
and the humanities.
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Each has taken a different
path to get here.
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Each has made the most
of different gifts.
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But all of them have reached the
peaks of cultural achievement.
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And all of them are a testament
to the breadth and depth
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of the human spirit.
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It's through
contributions like theirs,
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as much as anything else, that
a nation's legacy is forged.
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Ancient Greece and Rome are
remembered for the rulers who
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conquered the known world, but
also for the Odyssey and the
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Iliad, for a forum
and a coliseum.
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Europe -- from the Renaissance
through the Enlightenment -- is
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remembered for wars of religion
and the stirrings of revolution,
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but also for the Sistine
Chapel and the encyclopedia.
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The China that invented
gunpowder and paper is also
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known for its poetry.
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That is the legacy of
these civilizations.
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That's how they are remembered.
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And we will be
remembered, I hope,
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for what we do in our time to
deliver progress for our people
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and to advance the
dreams of all people.
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But I hope we will be remembered
for something else, as well.
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I hope we will be remembered for
the Metropolitan Museum of Art,
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for the School of American
Ballet, for all that you,
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the honorees here today, have
done to enrich and enhance
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America's legacy.
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And that legacy will be forged
by all of us doing our part.
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By those of us here in
Washington doing what needs to
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be done to improve the lives
of people who are -- we were
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elected to serve.
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By brave men and women
fighting under our flag.
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By citizens and neighborhood
organizations and places of
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worship that are giving
back to the communities.
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And by scientists that are
advancing what we know about the
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workings of the world
and the universe.
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But also by Americans like
you -- creators, imaginers,
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entertainers -- helping each
of us understand the human
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experience, and helping all
of us recognize
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that common humanity.
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That task is especially
important I think right now.
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It's easy in times like these,
with all the talk about what
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makes us different and what
divides us, what keeps us apart,
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to lose sight of what
holds us together.
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To forget that no matter
what our differences,
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some things speak to all of us.
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It doesn't matter whether we're
Democrats or Republicans,
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all of us are profoundly moved
by our reflection
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in black granite.
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No matter what the color of our
skin or what beliefs we hold,
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all of us can draw lessons
from the works of history.
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No matter what community
we call our own,
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all of us can be moved by
a symphony, or an aria;
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all of us can be moved
by a soprano's voice;
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all of us can be moved
by a film's score.
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The arts, the humanities, they
appeal to a certain yearning
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that's shared by all of us --
a yearning for truth and for
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beauty, for connection and the
simple pleasure of a good story.
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More than 200 years and 25 --
225 years ago, on February 18,
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1784, George Washington sat down
at his home in Mount Vernon
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to write a letter.
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It was just a month after
Congress officially put an end
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to the war with
the British Empire.
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And it was still years before
the Constitutional Convention
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met in Philadelphia -- years
before this general ended up
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becoming President.
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Years before 13 newly
independent colonies became one
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nation, indivisible under God.
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But the letter Washington sat
down to write that day was not
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about the recent triumph
over the British.
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It was not about what shape
a young America might take.
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Instead, it was a
letter to a bookseller.
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Before requesting a few volumes,
Washington expressed a belief --
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and I quote -- "to encourage
literature and the arts is a
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duty which every good citizen
owes to his country."
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A duty of every good citizen.
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So speaks the father
of our country.
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Even then, amid all the concerns
of those heady and dangerous
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days, Washington took time to
reflect on the infinite value of
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what were then called
"the elegant arts."
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Even then, he foresaw the
essential role that the arts and
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the humanities would play
in the formation of
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our country's character.
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And if Washington
were with us today,
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I think he would agree that
all of you have fulfilled your
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duties; that all of
you are good citizens;
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that all of you have
enriched the legacy of the
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United States of America.
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So with that, I now ask the
honorees to come up, one by one,
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as their citations are read.
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Military Aide:
The 2009 National
Humanities Medal to Elie Wiesel.
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(applause.)
00:10:24
The 2009 national Humanities
Medal to Elie Wiesel,
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for his unwavering commitment
to preserving the memory of the
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Holocaust and its victims.
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He has fostered compassion
and understanding through his
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writing, his leadership,
and his relentless advocacy
for human rights.
00:10:42
(applause.)
00:10:57
The 2009 National Medal
of Arts recipients.
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Milton Glaser.
00:11:02
(applause.)
00:11:13
The 2009 National Medal of
Arts to Milton Glaser,
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for a lifetime devoted to
improving the way people
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communicate through
innovation in graphic design,
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and for memorable visual
artifacts that challenge
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contemporary artists and
delight all Americans.
00:11:28
(applause.)
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Maya Lin.
00:11:42
(applause.)
00:11:50
The 2009 National
Medal of Arts to Maya Lin,
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for her profound work
as an architect, artist,
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and environmentalist.
00:11:58
Her vision for the National
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
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emblemizes her deep
understanding of the ways in
00:12:04
which we respond to
the world around us.
00:12:08
(applause.)
00:12:21
Rita Moreno.
00:12:23
(applause.)
00:12:36
(laughter)
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The 2009 National
Medal of Arts to Rita Moreno,
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for her remarkable achievements
on stage and screen.
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Her performances have served
as touchstones to millions of
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Americans for whom she reflects
their own passions, troubles,
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and joys.
00:12:59
(applause.)
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Jessye Norman.
00:13:13
(applause.)
00:13:29
The 2009 National Medal of
Arts to Jessye Norman,
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for her contributions to
American music as a dramatic
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soprano, broadening contemporary
operatic repertoire and
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distinguishing herself
with the warmth, intensity,
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and range of her voice.
00:13:44
(applause.)
00:14:07
Accepting for the Oberlin
Conservatory of Music,
David Stahl.
00:14:11
(applause.)
00:14:20
The 2009 National
Medal of Arts to the Oberlin
00:14:23
Conservatory of Music, for
preparing young musicians to
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become great cultural
contributors.
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As a model of music education,
America's oldest continuously
00:14:34
operating conservatory proves
that exceptional training
00:14:38
enriches artists, our
communities, and our nation.
00:14:41
(applause.)
00:14:53
Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr.
00:14:56
(applause.)
00:15:06
The 2009 National
Medal of Arts to Mayor
Joseph P. Riley, Jr.,
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for cultivating
Charleston's historic and
00:15:12
cultural resources to
enhance public spaces,
00:15:18
and for revitalizing urban
centers throughout our nation as
00:15:20
founder of the Mayors'
Institute on City Design.
00:15:22
(applause.)
00:15:34
Accepting for the
School of American Ballet,
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Peter Martins.
00:15:38
(applause.)
00:15:52
The 2009 National Medal of
Arts to the School of
00:15:55
American Ballet, for shaping the
history of 20th century dance by
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training young dancers under the
guidance of the world's ballet
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masters to forge a dynamic
classical ballet tradition in
00:16:07
the United States.
00:16:09
(applause.)
00:16:24
Frank Stella.
00:16:27
(applause.)
00:16:36
The 2009 National
Medal of Arts to Frank Stella,
00:16:39
for his accomplishments as one
of the world's most innovative
00:16:43
painters and sculptors.
00:16:45
His sophisticated visual
experiments -- often
00:16:47
transcending boundaries
between painting, printmaking,
00:16:51
and sculpture -- are
modern masterpieces.
00:16:54
(applause.)
00:17:05
Michael Tilson Thomas.
00:17:07
(applause.)
00:17:16
The 2009 National
Medal of Arts to Michael Tilson
00:17:19
Thomas, for his dedication to
elevating American orchestral
00:17:23
playing as a renowned conductor,
and for his commitment to
00:17:26
engaging new artists and
audiences in the exciting world
00:17:29
of contemporary music.
00:17:31
(applause.)
00:17:41
John Williams.
00:17:42
(applause.)
00:17:54
The 2009 National
Medal of Arts to John Williams,
00:17:58
for his achievements in
symphonic music for
motion pictures.
00:18:02
As a preeminent
composer and conductor,
00:18:04
his scores have defined and
inspired modern movie-going
00:18:07
for decades.
00:18:09
(applause.)
00:18:22
The 2009 National Humanities
Medal recipients.
00:18:26
Robert A. Caro.
00:18:27
(applause.)
00:18:37
The 2009 National
Humanities Medal to Robert A.
00:18:40
Caro, for capturing the subtle
machinations of political
00:18:43
influence in America.
00:18:45
His biographies of Robert Moses
and President Johnson have shown
00:18:49
how individuals accumulate and
exercise power in local and
00:18:53
national settings.
00:18:55
(applause.)
00:19:08
Annette Gordon-Reed.
00:19:10
(applause.)
00:19:18
The 2009 National
Humanities Medal to Annette
00:19:20
Gordon-Reed, for important and
innovative research about an
00:19:24
American family, the
Hemings of Monticello.
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Her narrative story about Sally
Hemings and her relatives,
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Thomas Jefferson's slaves,
brings to light a previously
00:19:34
unrecognized chapter
in the American story.
00:19:38
(applause.)
00:19:51
David Levering Lewis.
00:19:52
(applause.)
00:20:01
The 2009 National
Humanities Medal to David
00:20:04
Levering Lewis, for his
insightful examinations of
00:20:08
W.E.B. DuBois,
00:20:10
the Dreyfus Affair,
and early Islamic-Christian
00:20:14
relations in Europe, which have
enriched our understanding of
00:20:16
the figures and forces
that shaped world history.
00:20:20
(applause.)
00:20:32
William H. McNeill.
00:20:34
(applause.)
00:21:06
The 2009 National
Humanities Medal to William H.
00:21:10
McNeill, for his pedagogy at the
University of Chicago and as an
00:21:14
author of more than 20 books,
including The Rise of the West,
00:21:18
which traces
civilizations through 5,000
00:21:20
years of recorded history.
00:21:22
(applause.)
00:22:15
Philippe de Montebello.
00:22:16
(applause.)
00:22:26
The 2009 National
Humanities Medal to Philippe de
00:22:29
Montebello, for his vision
in bringing great art to an
00:22:34
international public and his
leadership in revitalizing the
00:22:36
Metropolitan Museum of Art, and
for fostering arts appreciation
00:22:41
among people of all ages.
00:22:43
(applause.)
00:22:56
Accepting for Albert H. Small,
00:22:59
Robert Perry.
00:23:00
(applause.)
00:23:18
The 2009 National
Humanities Medal to Albert H.
00:23:22
Small, for his devotion
to sharing early American
00:23:25
manuscripts with our nation's
cultural and educational
00:23:28
institutions, as a
philanthropist and collector.
00:23:31
His generosity has helped
educate countless Americans
00:23:34
about those who
founded our country.
00:23:37
(applause.)
00:23:48
Theodore C. Sorensen.
00:23:50
(applause.)
00:24:17
The 2009 National
Humanities Medal to Theodore C.
00:24:21
Sorensen, for advancing our
understanding of modern
00:24:24
American politics.
00:24:25
As a speechwriter and
advisor to President Kennedy,
00:24:28
he helped craft
messages and policies,
00:24:30
and later gave us a window into
the people and events
00:24:33
that made history.
00:24:36
(applause.)
00:25:00
The President:
Ladies and gentlemen,
00:25:01
please give a big round of
applause to all the honorees.
00:25:04
(applause.)
00:25:30
Ladies and gentlemen,
00:25:31
that concludes the
formal program,
00:25:34
but there are some drinks
and big shrimp left.
00:25:37
(laughter.)
00:25:39
So we expect you to enjoy the
hospitality of the White House.
00:25:44
And Michelle and I just want to
personally again say what an
00:25:48
honor it has been for us to
be here at this ceremony.
00:25:55
Each and every one of these
individuals in some way
00:25:58
has touched my life.
00:26:00
I think about Robert Caro and
reading The Power Broker back
00:26:05
when I was 22 years old --
(laughter) -- and just being
00:26:10
mesmerized, and I'm sure it
helped to shape how I think
00:26:12
about politics.
00:26:14
I think about Maya Lin and the
first time I had a chance to see
00:26:19
that extraordinary monument to
the courage of our young men and
00:26:26
women in uniform.
00:26:28
I think about the first time I
heard Jessye Norman's voice,
00:26:31
or saw Rita in West Side Story.
00:26:38
And my great friend Joe Riley --
the extraordinary work that he's
00:26:41
done in Charleston.
00:26:45
And Ted Sorensen, who used up
all the good lines for every
00:26:47
President remaining.
00:26:51
(laughter.)
00:26:52
And Frank Stella,
who obviously is a legend.
00:26:57
I don't want to mention
everybody because each and every
00:26:59
one of you in some way
have touched our lives.
00:27:01
So a personal thanks from
Michelle and myself,
00:27:06
and I hope all of you have a
wonderful evening and continue
00:27:09
to enrich the lives
of our citizens.
00:27:14
It is extraordinarily important.
00:27:15
And we will continue to be as
big a booster as possible
from this office.
00:27:19
Thank you very much.
00:27:21
(applause.)
