Remarks on Presenting the Arts and Humanities Awards

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Oct 4, 1999

September 29, 1999

The President. Thank you very much. Thank you so much, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome. I want to welcome all of our honorees here; Bill Ivey and all the people from the National Endowment for the Humanities; Bill Ferris and all the people from the National Endowment for the Arts; the people from Library and Museum Services; Members of Congress. I have seen Senator Wellstone and Congressman Houghton, Representative Morella and Nadler. There may be others here.

I want to thank the people of our shared homeland, the Irish band and the step dancers, for doing such a wonderful job today. I thought they were great. If George Mitchell doesn't get us over the final hump in the last steps of the Irish peace process, I may just send them back until everybody - [laughter] - is smiling so much they can't think of anything other than ending the conflict.

I'd also like to thank the wonderful strings from the Marine Corps for doing such a great job for us here today.

In one of his final speeches, President Kennedy said he looked forward to an America which rewards achievement in the arts as we reward achievement in business; an America which commands respect throughout the world not only for its strength but for its civilization. Today we recognize an extraordinary group of Americans who have strengthened our civilization and whose achievements have enriched our lives through the songs they sing, the stories they tell, the books they write, the art they shape, the gifts they share.

Eighteen women and men, one educational institution, all having defined in their own unique ways a part of who we are as a people and what we're about as a nation as we enter a new century in a new millennium.

First I present the National Medal of the Arts winners.

Irene Diamond, one of America's leading patrons of the arts, has dedicated her life to discovery. As an early Hollywood talent scout, she discovered Burt Lancaster and Robert Redford. For that alone, some people think she should get this award. [Laughter]

As one of the movie industry's first female story editors, she discovered the script that became "Casablanca." I believe when the film industry issued its list of 100 greatest films, "Casablanca" only ranked second, Irene, but some of us voted for it number one. [Laughter]

As the president of the Aaron Diamond Foundation, she helped fuel the path-breaking research that led to the discovery of protease inhibitors, which are now helping people with HIV lead longer and healthier lives. As a generous supporter of the arts, she has given more than $70 million to help more Americans discover the magic of theater, dance, and song.

It has been said that discovery consists of seeing what everyone has seen and thinking what no one has thought. We are all far richer for the vision, the insight, and the discoveries of this most precious Diamond.

Colonel, read the citation.

[Lt. Col. Carlton D. Everhart, USAF, Air Force Aide to the President, read the citation, and the President presented the medal.]

The President. The Reverend C.L. Franklin, then pastor of Detroit's New Bethel Baptist Church, was a powerfully emotional preacher. But one Sunday in 1954 it was the heavenly voice of a 12-year-old that brought the congregation to its feet. The voice belonged to his own daughter, Aretha, the woman now idolized throughout the world as the Queen of Soul.

No matter where she has traveled, she has never left behind the sound of those Sundays in church. You could hear it ranging over four full octaves when she sang Dr. King to heaven and in electrifying performances at our Inaugural celebrations. You can hear it in every one of her nearly 50 albums, and I am so grateful that she has allowed me to hear it time after time here at the White House.

Aretha's voice once was designated a natural resource of the State of Michigan. [Laughter] She will probably never know how many people whose lives she has enriched, whose hearts she has lifted, how many people she gave a spring in the step that would not have been there, and brought sunshine to a rainy day and tenderness to a hardened heart.

Today we honor her for all she has given with the magnificent talent God gave her.

Colonel, read the citation.

[Lieutenant Colonel Everhart read the citation, and the President presented the medal.]

The President. Michael Graves is a rare individual who finds equal wonder in things both large and small. As one of our century's most important designers and architects, he has said he gets as much pleasure planning a large building as he does designing a spatula. [Laughter]

So it's little wonder that Michael Graves' work can be found from our shopping malls to our National Mall, from an award-winning office building to a tea kettle, to the creative scaffolding around the Washington Monument - which, I might say, has enriched the lives of every person in Washington, DC - [laughter] - and made those often stuck in what is now America's most crowded traffic patterned city have their time pass a little better; Michael Graves has created art that surrounds our lives.