H. Con. Res. 501
Agreed to September 30, 2004
One Hundred Eighth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the twentieth day of January, two thousand and four
Concurrent Resolution
Whereas jazz music is America’s classical music and is an art
form that is indigenous to the United States;
Whereas the influence of jazz has spread across the world and
jazz truly incorporates and transcends differences of nationality,
religion, language, culture, socioeconomic status, and race;
Whereas Edward Kennedy ‘‘Duke’’ Ellington, who was born on
April 29, 1899 in Washington, D.C., and died on May 24, 1974
in New York City, was one of the pioneers of jazz music;
Whereas Duke Ellington formed his first band in 1917;
Whereas over the course of his 50-year musical career, Duke
Ellington took jazz to the farthest corners of the world, performing
in Europe, the Soviet Union, Japan, and Australia during the
1960’s on diplomatic tours sponsored by the Department of State;
Whereas among his numerous other public honors, Duke Ellington
was appointed to the National Council on the Arts in 1968,
received the President’s Gold Medal in 1966 from President
Lyndon Johnson, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of
Freedom, the highest honor a civilian can receive in the United
States, in 1969;
Whereas Duke Ellington has also received many awards and honors
from private entities, including 13 GRAMMY Awards from the
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences over 40 years,
the Pied Piper Award from the American Society of Composers,
Authors, and Publishers in 1968, and honorary doctoral degrees
from 16 institutions;
Whereas after the death of Duke Ellington, Western High School
in Washington, D.C., was renamed the Duke Ellington School
of the Arts and is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year;
Whereas the House of Representatives has declared that jazz is
a rare and valuable national treasure that deserves attention,
support, and resources to ensure that it is preserved, understood,
and promulgated;
Whereas Washington, D.C., does not currently host its own jazz
festival;
Whereas Charles Fishman, who was Dizzy Gillespie’s personal man-
ager and producer until his death and is highly regarded in
the jazz world, has established the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival,
a non-profit organization which will produce an annual Duke
Ellington Jazz Festival in Washington, D.C., beginning in 2005;
H. Con. Res. 501—2
Whereas Duke Ellington Jazz Festival will consist of events across
Washington, D.C., over a number of days, most of which will
be free of charge, and will culminate in 2 days of concerts on
the National Mall;
Whereas the rich musical legacy, international character, and
diverse community of Washington, D.C. make it the ideal city
to host a world-class international jazz festival; and
Whereas the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival will soon become known
as one of the leading jazz festivals in the world, showcasing
the best in jazz music in the shadow of the United States Capitol:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concur-
ring), That Congress—
(1) honors the life and work of Duke Ellington and his
immortal contributions to American and world music;
(2) recognizes the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in
Washington, D.C., on the occasion of its 30th anniversary;
and
(3) supports the annual Duke Ellington Jazz Festival to
be held in Washington, D.C., beginning in 2005.
Attest:
Clerk of the House of Representatives.
Attest:
Secretary of the Senate.