President Joe Biden on Monday celebrated an array of influential filmmakers, musicians, writers, and cultural icons, bestowing the esteemed National Medals of Arts and National Humanities Medals to 39 recipients. The ceremony at the White House underscored the remarkable achievements that have shaped American cultural and intellectual landscapes.
Among the 20 recipients of the National Medals of Arts were filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, and Ken Burns, as well as singers Missy Elliott and Queen Latifah. The National Humanities Medals honored 19 individuals, including playwright-screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and historian Jon Meacham.
Three medals were awarded posthumously, recognizing the enduring legacies of the late singer Selena Quintanilla and artist Ruth Asawa with arts medals, and the late chef-author Anthony Bourdain with a humanities medal.
“You are the masters of your craft, making us a better America with all you have done,” Biden lauded during the ceremony.
In a notable diversion from his prepared remarks, Biden acknowledged Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential aspirations, emphasizing the influential role of women in the room. “I know the power of the women in this room to get things done” and inspire future generations,” he stated, lauding the female awardees for demonstrating that “a woman can do anything a man can do, and then some, that includes being president of the United States of America.” This declaration was met with an enthusiastic standing ovation.
The president also addressed the significant impact of these awards in a period he described as a “very consequential time in the arts and humanities in America,” amidst challenges such as the banning of books, the erasure of history, and the spread of misinformation.
The arts medals, managed by the National Endowment for the Arts, recognize individuals or groups for their outstanding contributions to the arts in the United States. Honorees included actors Idina Menzel and Eva Longoria, producer Bruce Cohen, musicians Leonardo “Flaco” Jimenez and Herbert I. Ohta, photographers Randy A. Batista and Clyde Butcher, artists Carrie Mae Weems, Alex Katz, and Mark Bradford, as well as arts leaders Jo Carole Lauder and Bruce Sagan and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
The humanities medals, managed by the National Endowment for the Humanities, honor individuals or organizations whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the human experience and expanded access to cultural resources. This year’s recipients included former U.S. poet laureate Joy Harjo, actor-literacy advocate LeVar Burton, cartoonist Roz Chast, and philanthropists Wallis Annenberg and Darren Walker. Honors also went to cultural institutions like the Mellon Foundation and Appalshop, educators Robin Harris, Robert Martin, and Ruth J. Simmons, and scholars Pauline Yu, Nicolás Kanellos, and Robin Wall Kimmerer. Writer Juan Felipe Herrera, filmmaker Dawn Porter, and anthropologist Rosita Worl were also recognized for their contributions.
This distinguished gathering underscored the vital role of the arts and humanities in shaping American society and fostering a deeper understanding of the human condition.