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.)