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appalachiablue

(41,054 posts)
Fri Jul 27, 2018, 03:30 AM Jul 2018

*National Arts, Humanities and Science Awards Absent Under Trump*

WTOP- Arts and Science Medal Ceremonies Absent Under Trump - By The Associated Press, July 26, 2018 5:45 pm

NEW YORK (AP) — In February 2017, weeks into the Trump administration, the National Endowment for the Humanities was reviewing a list of nominees for the National Humanities Medals, one of the top honors for creative and scholarly achievement. The plan, as in previous years, was to submit names to the White House and await final approval.
But the NEH chairman at the time, William D. Adams, seemed skeptical. “Interesting to contemplate where the medals might go,” he wrote to Larry Myers, director of the NEH Office of Planning and Budget..“Perhaps nowhere. They can’t seem to get out of their own way there on Pennsylvania Avenue.” Responded Myers: “Agreed. No one knows which end is up (or down) at 1600 Penn. Ave.”

Nearly a year and a half later, the fate of the Humanities medals- and many others- remains uncertain. White House ceremonies for arts and science medal winners, a tradition dating back to the 1980s, have been absent so far in the Trump administration. Eighteen months into Trump’s presidency, there have been no new National Science or Technology Medals, or National Medals of Arts or National Humanities Medals. The honors are personally bestowed by the president and formally approved by the White House, which sometimes adds its own nominees.

President Donald Trump also has yet to announce any Presidential Medal of Freedom awards, the country’s highest civilian honor. He has awarded several medals for military service and law enforcement, including the Medal of Honor to Vietnam War veteran James C. McCloughan and the Medal of Valor to six responders to the 2015 San Bernardino, California, workplace shooting.

Past recipients of arts and science medals have ranged from Wynton Marsalis to Milton Friedman. But no new science or technology winners have been announced since December 2015, and no arts or humanities winners since September 2016. The last Presidential Medal of Freedom was given in the final days of Barack Obama’s administration, when Obama presented one to Vice President Joe Biden in January 2017.

The East Wing of the White House is in charge of the medals ceremonies. Stephanie Grisham, director of communications for first lady Melania Trump, said that the administration expected a Medal of Freedom announcement “soon” and planned to give out arts, science and humanities medals in the fall...With Trump widely disliked in the arts and science communities, the White House may well have reason to avoid related awards ceremonies or at least not have the president on hand.

When the Kennedy Center winners were announced last year, Norman Lear was among the honorees who only agreed to turn up for the tribute after Trump decided not to attend. This year’s Kennedy Center honorees include Reba McEntire and fiery Trump critic Cher; another Trump critic, Lin-Manuel Miranda, will see his “Hamilton” honored with a special award. The White House said it’s too early to know whether Trump will attend the event..

Spokeswoman Elizabeth Auclair of the National Endowment for the Arts..noted that gaps have occurred when administrations change..Spokeswoman Paula Wasley of the National Endowment for the Humanities said that the “NEH is working with the White House on recommendations for the National Humanities Medals.”..Allison Courtin, communications manager for the National Science & Technology Medals Foundation, said that Medal of Science nominees for each of the past three years have been submitted to the White House..

The Trump administration proposed eliminating the NEA and NEH each of the past two years, but funding was restored by Congress. In May, John Parrish Peede was sworn in as chair of the NEH...In March 2018, Peede emailed council members with an update on the medals. Acknowledging that the process had been “poorly handled” by the NEH the year before, Peede wrote that the 2017 list had been resubmitted to the White House, with some additional nominees included. “At this time, the White House has not confirmed a date for the medal ceremony,” he wrote.
___
Associated Press Writer Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.
https://wtop.com/white-house/2018/07/arts-and-science-medal-ceremonies-absent-under-trump/



In this Nov. 15, 2007 file photo, President Bush, third from left, presents the 2007 National Humanities Medal to members of the Monuments Men Foundation, from left, Robert Edsel, Jim Reeds, Harry Ettlinger, Horace Apgar and Seymore Pomrenze, for the Preservation of Art of Dallas, Texas, during a ceremony at the White House in Washington. White House ceremonies for arts and science medal winners, a tradition dating back to the 1980s, have been absent so far in the Trump administration. Eighteen months into Trump’s presidency, there have been no National Science Medals, or National Medals of Arts or National Medals of Humanities.

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*National Arts, Humanities and Science Awards Absent Under Trump* (Original Post) appalachiablue Jul 2018 OP
Ivanka gets the first Harker Jul 2018 #1
The Dotard And his minions don't care a toot about things like that. Nt raccoon Jul 2018 #2
MAGA, yet absence of honoring distinguished Americans appalachiablue Jul 2018 #3
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