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Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient Duke Ellington
President Nixon Presenting Medal to Duke Ellington
President Richard M. Nixon presents the Freedom medal to bandleader Duke Ellington at the White House. The Chief Executive hosted a black-tie musical salute to the composer on his 70th birthday. April 29, 1969
The Show Choir from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts performs for President George W. Bush at the Celebration of African American Music, History, and Culture in the East Room May 28. "The music and culture of Black Americans has brought great beauty into this world. Today it brings great pride to our country," said the President. White House photo by Eric Draper.
Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Duke Ellington
April 29, 1969
Ladies and gentlemen:
As you can probably surmise, this is a very unusual and, for us, a special evening at the White House in this great room.
Before the entertainment begins, we have a presentation to make. I was looking at this name on here. It says, "Edward Kennedy Ellington."
For the first time during this administration, I have the honor of presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I think it is most appropriate that that medal be presented to Duke Ellington.
When we think of freedom, we think of many things. But Duke Ellington is one who has carried the message of freedom to all the nations of the world through music, through understanding, understanding that reaches over all national boundaries and over all boundaries of prejudice and over all boundaries of language.
Because he has an unusual gift, a gift that he has shared with us, his own fellow citizens, and with the citizens of the world, we believe that this citation fits him particularly well. I will read it to you.
"The President of the United States of America awards this Presidential Medal of Freedom to Edward Kennedy Ellington.
CITATION:
Edward Kennedy Ellington, pianist, composer, and orchestra leader, has long enhanced American music with his unique style, his intelligence, his impeccable taste. For more than 40 years he has helped to expand the frontiers of jazz, while at the same time retaining in his music the individuality and freedom of expression that are the soul of jazz. In the royalty of American music, no man swings more or stands higher than the Duke."
MR. ELLINGTON. Thank you very much, Mr. President. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
This is the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And the word "freedom" is one, coincidentally, that we are using at the moment in our sacred concert.
And, of course, we speak of freedom of expression and we speak of freedom generally as being something very sweet and fat and things like that. In the end when we get down to the payoff, what we actually say is that we would like very much to mention the four major freedoms that my friend and writing-and-arranging composer, Billy Strayhorn, lived by and enjoyed.
That was freedom from hate, unconditionally; freedom from self-pity; freedom from fear of possibly doing something that may help someone else more than it would him; and freedom from the kind of pride that could make a man feel that he is better than his brother.
THE PRESIDENT. Ladies and gentlemen, please don't go away. Duke was asking earlier if I would play, and I said I had never done so yet in the White House. But it did occur to me as I looked at the magnificent program prepared for us that one number was missing.
You see, this is his birthday. Now, Duke Ellington is ageless, but would you all stand and sing "Happy Birthday" to him. And, please, in the key of G. [Laughter]
[At this point the President played the piano and sang along with the guests in honor of Mr. Ellington's 70th birthday.]
NOTE: The President spoke at 10:36 p.m. in the East Room at the White House.
This is exactly what Duke Ellington is most comfortable doing.
Onstage at the White House, where presidents and artists harmonize
By Richard Harrington
The Washington Post
The White House is America's oldest showcase for the performing arts, what Elise Kirk describes as "a uniquely private yet highly public setting" for the arts in her fascinating history, Musical Highlights From the White House. It became more public in the early '60s when John and Jacqueline Kennedy turned the East Room into a theater, so it's fitting that they be remembered with "The Kennedy White House Concerts," featuring digitally remastered excerpts of several command performances held there, including Pablo Casals' historic November 1961 performance, perhaps the most celebrated concert ever given at the White House.
Casals had stopped performing in America in 1938 after it recognized the government of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco. The world-renowned cellist had long resided in Puerto Rico when Kennedy invited him to play a state dinner for the island's governor; the concert was broadcast live on two of the three national radio networks and drew attention from all over the world. A full version of Casals' "A Concert at the White House" was released on Columbia, but the only version now available is a Sony Japanese import.
On April 29, 1969, President Richard Nixon hosted a 70th-birthday celebration at the White House for native son Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington, awarding him the Medal of Freedom , the highest honor that can be awarded to a civilian. For the occasion, Voice of America jazz host Willis Conover assembled an all-star band to salute Ellington's astounding repertoire. The White House concert was recorded and broadcast overseas by the VOA but was never heard domestically until last year's Blue Note release of "1969: All-Star White House Tribute."
In 1978, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter inaugurated a series of Saturday afternoon programs broadcast nationally from the East Room on PBS featuring Vladimir Horowitz, Leontyne Price, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Mstislav Rostropovich and Andres Segovia. The next president, Ronald Reagan, instituted the "In Performance at the White House" series on PBS, broadening the fare to include country, jazz and gospel, with Nancy Reagan noting in the first program that "with the participation of public television, the East Room becomes a concert hall for the entire nation."
There have been 36 "In Performance at the White House" concerts on PBS, the most recent a concert by "The President's Own" -- the United States Marine Band, America's oldest professional musical organization -- filmed exactly 200 years after it first performed there.
"The White House: In Tune With History" is available from the White House Historical Society. The hourlong documentary looks at two centuries of music and musicians -- and presidents -- who have performed at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Besides Casals and Ellington, you can see Nixon and Harry Truman tickling the ivories and Carter scat singing with Dizzy Gillespie on "Salt Peanuts."
Edward Kennedy (Duke) Ellington
(1899-1974) composer, musician, band leader
By the time of his passing, he was considered amongst the world’s greatest composers and musicians. The French government honored him with their highest award, the Legion of Honor, while the government of the United States bestowed upon him the highest civil honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom . He played for the royalty and for the common people and by the end of his 50-year career, he had played over 20,000 performances worldwide. He was The Duke, Duke Ellington.
Edward Kennedy Ellington was born into the world on April 29, 1899 in Washington, D.C. Duke’s parents, Daisy Kennedy Ellington and James Edward Ellington, served as ideal role models for young Duke, and taught him everything from proper table manners to an understanding of the emotional power of music. Duke’s first piano lessons came around the age of seven or eight and appeared not to have had that much lasting effect upon him. It seemed as if young Duke was more inclined to baseball at a young age. Duke got his first job selling peanuts at Washington Senator’s baseball games. This was the first time Duke was placed as a "performer" for a crowd and had to first get over his stage fright. At the age of 14, Duke began sneaking into Frank Holliday’s poolroom. His experiences from the poolroom taught him to appreciate the value in mixing with a wide range of people. As Duke’s piano lessons faded into the past, Duke began to show a flare for the artistic. Duke attended Armstrong Manual Training School to study commercial art instead of going to an academics-oriented school. Duke began to seek out and listen to ragtime pianists in Washington and, during the summers, in Philadelphia or Atlantic City, where he and his mother vacationed . While vacationing in Asbury Park, Duke heard of a hot pianist named Harvey Brooks. At the end of his vacation, Duke sought Harvey out in Philadelphia where Harvey showed Duke some pianistic tricks and shortcuts. Duke later recounted that, "When I got home I had a real yearning to play. I hadn’t been able to get off the ground before, but after hearing him I said to myself, ‘Man you’re going to have to do it.’" Thus the music career of Duke Ellington was born.
Duke was taken under the wings of Oliver "Doc" Perry and Louis Brown, who taught Duke how to read music and helped improve his overall piano playing skills. Duke found piano playing jobs at clubs and cafes throughout the Washington area. Three months shy of graduation, Duke dropped out of school and began his professional music career.
In late 1917, Duke formed his first group: The Duke’s Serenaders. Between 1918 and 1919, Duke made three significant steps towards independence. First, he moved out of his parents’ home and into a home he bought for himself. Second, Duke became his own booking agent for his band. By doing so, Ellington’s band was able to play throughout the Washington area and into Virginia for private society balls and embassy parties. Finally, Duke married Edna Thompson and on March 11, 1919, Mercer Kennedy Ellington was born.
In 1923, Duke left the security that Washington offered him and moved to New York. Through the power of radio, listeners throughout New York had heard of Duke Ellington, making him quite a popular musician. It was also in that year that Duke made his first recording. Ellington and his renamed band, The Washingtonians, established themselves during the prohibition era by playing at places like the Exclusive Club, Connie’s Inn, the Hollywood Club (Club Kentucky), Ciro’s, the Plantation Club, and most importantly the Cotton Club. Thanks to the rise in radio receivers and the industry itself, Duke’s band was broadcast across the nation live on "From the Cotton Club." The band’s music, along with their popularity, spread rapidly.
In 1928, Ellington and Irving Mills signed an agreement in which Mills produced and published Ellington’s music. Recording companies like Brunswick, Columbia, and Victor came calling. Duke’s band became the most sought-after band in the United States and even throughout the world.
Some of Ellington’s greatest works include "Rockin’ in Rhythm," "Satin Doll," "New Orleans," "A Drum is a Women," "Take the 'A' Train," "Happy-Go-Lucky Local," "The Mooche," and "Crescendo in Blue."
Duke Ellington and his band went on to play everywhere from New York to New Delhi, Chicago to Cairo, and Los Angeles to London. Ellington and his band played with such greats as Miles Davis, Cab Calloway, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett and Louis Armstrong. They entertained everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to President Nixon. Before passing away in 1974, Duke Ellington wrote and recorded hundreds of musical compositions, all of which will continue to have a lasting effect upon people worldwide for a long time to come.
Duke Ellington Biography
Ellington-Strayhorn Songbook
The Motion Picture and Television Photo Archive
PBS's Jazz: A Film by Ken Burns
Jazz At the Lincoln Center
Jazz-Institut Darmstadt
Verve Music Group's Duke Ellington Page
President Speaks at Celebration of African American Music, History, and Culture
The East Room
2:20 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, and welcome to the people's house, the White House. Laura and I are so very pleased that you all came, and we're glad to see you. We had a wonderful time marking Black Music Month last year, and we had some pretty strong company -- James Brown, Lionel Hampton, Shirley Caesar, the Four Tops -- and we've got some great names with us today, as well. And you're welcome. And we're looking forward to a fine afternoon, celebrating music loved by all the world, and born right here in America.
I want to thank Laura for escorting me in today. (Laughter.) I appreciate so very much our Secretary of Education, Mr. Rod Paige. Thank you for being here, Rod. He carries a heavy burden, and that is to work with school districts and folks all around our country to achieve this noble goal: every child educated in America. I mean every child. And not one child left behind. (Applause.)
Dr. Bobby Jones is with us. I'm honored to welcome Bobby back. He was here for the Gospel Tribute, February 2002. And what a tribute that was. It was a fantastic evening.
DR. JONES: -- shouted the roof off.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, we did. (Laughter.)
I appreciate the members of the Presidential Commission on the African American Museum of History and Culture -- I'll speak a little bit about that in a second. Thank you all for coming.
Afterwards, there's a reception where the Robert E. Lee High School Chorale of Midland, Texas, will be singing. And what makes that interesting and important is that's the high school Laura graduated from. And so did Tommy Franks. (Applause.)
I want to thank all the artists and record label representatives of the entertainment industry who are with us today. Thanks for being here.
Today we'll be entertained by the famed Show Choir from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. They're the bearers of one of America's oldest and finest musical legacies. We thank them for sharing their gifts and, of course, they're welcome here to the White House.
We've also got some royalty with us, a woman known as the Queen of Gospel. For more than six decades -- (applause) -- for more than six decades -- I probably wasn't supposed to say that -- (laughter) -- since her first performance in Chicago's West Point Baptist Church, Albertina Walker has lifted the hearts everywhere.
I reminded Albertina that my middle name was Walker. (Laughter.) She now calls me cousin. (Laughter.) She reminded -- her brother's name is George Walker. (Laughter.) I call him W. (Laughter.)
But if you give this woman a song of praise, a song like "Lord, Keep Me Day By Day", or "He Keeps On Blessing Me", or "Yes, God Is Real", you'll hear it like it was meant to be sung. Not since her friend and mentor, Mahalia Jackson, was last recorded has the good news sounded so convincing and so sweet.
We're honored you're here, cousin. (Laughter.) Welcome to the White House. (Applause.)
In the history of Black music, some of the finest moments have taken place right here in this house. Among the first Black soloists to perform in the White House was the daughter of a slave -- Sissieretta Jones sang ballads for three Presidents, including McKinley and Roosevelt. President Taft hosted the violinist Joseph Douglass, who was an ancestor of one of our guests today, Frederick Douglass, IV. Welcome. Good to see you, sir. (Applause.)
The first Black choir to sing here was the Jubilee Singers from Fisk University. That happened over 120 years ago, during a time when America wasn't a very hospitable place for a lot of Americans. After all, the kids couldn't find a hotel room in which to stay. The next day they were welcomed here by President Chester A. Arthur, and touched him deeply with their rendition of the old spiritual, "Safe in the Arms of Jesus."
The spiritual has always had that power to move -- to move many Americans. And they always will. The people who first sang them and taught them to their children knew the worst of human cruelty and earthly injustice. In their songs we hear the pain of separation, the bitterness of oppression, the troubles of the world. We also hear the courage of a soul, the strength of a faith, and the trust in God who will right every wrong and wipe away every tear.
Over many generations, in song both mournful and joyful, the music of Black America has created sounds like no other in America. From the deep South of another era, to New Orleans, to Chicago, to Harlem, Black musicians have set a standard for originality and authenticity.
Someone once described Louis Armstrong's music as always real and true, honest and simple and noble. The same may be said of Black music in so many forms, and the artists who compose it and play it and sing it with such style. How much richer we are to have known the voices of Nat "King" Cole and Lena Horne, Diana Ross, Duke Ellington and their orchestra; Dizzy Gillespie on the horn; superb arrangements of Quincy Jones. America's a richer place for it.
The music varies widely and keeps changing, while incredible talent keeps coming on. Yet, there is a continuous theme. Black music is the sound of experience, written, as Stevie Wonder would say, in the key of life.
For a long time, many citizens have hoped to see a museum in Washington that conveys the experience of African Americans. I'm pleased that Congress has authorized a presidential commission, which I take very seriously, to take us closer to the goal of building a National Museum of African American History and Culture. I hope the museum, when it's built, will remind visitors of both the suffering and the triumph, the hurt that was overcome, the barriers that are being cast away.
In the Black American experience, there has been a lot of pain, and America must recognize that. There's been progress, too, and there needs to be more. And always, there will be faith that mankind must be called to a higher calling -- to be kind and just, if only he would follow what Martin Luther King, Jr., called the soul-saving music of eternity.
The music and culture of Black Americans has brought great beauty into this world. Today it brings great pride to our country. And for the contributions so many of you have made to that legacy, your fellow Americans are very grateful.
I want to thank you for being here. And it is now my honor to bring to this podium the Queen herself, Albertina Walker. (Applause.)
END 2:30 P.M. EDT
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Medal History
