I
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 141
To award a congressional gold medal to John Birks ‘‘Dizzy’’ Gillespie.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 5, 1993
Mr. CONYERS (for himself, Mr. DELLUMS, Mr. SPRATT, Mr. OWENS of New
York, Mr. RAVENEL, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. SPENCE, Mr.
DIXON, Mr. DE LUGO, Mr. TORRICELLI, Mrs. COLLINS of Michigan, and
Mr. JEFFERSON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs
A BILL
To award a congressional gold medal to John Birks ‘‘Dizzy’’
Gillespie.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) John Birks ‘‘Dizzy’’ Gillespie is one of the
most recognized and beloved artists in the world
today, admired not only for his unique musicianship,
but for his ability to reach people on a distinctly per-
sonal level.
(2) As a virtuoso musician, pioneer, innovator,
composer, arranger, bandleader, raconteur, consum-
mate 
entertainer, 
and 
cultural 
ambassador
extraordinaire, Mr. Gillespie has distinguished him-
self as one of the truly immortal figures in the his-
tory of Jazz, ‘‘a national American Treasure’’.
(3) Mr. Gillespie has received the Kennedy Cen-
ter Honors, the most prestigious public recognition
of an artist’s lifetime contributions in the perform-
ing arts in the United States, was awarded the
Smithsonian Medal from the Smithsonian Institu-
tion, and was presented with American Society of
Composers, Authors and Publishers’ ‘‘Duke’’ award
for his lifetime achievements as a musician, com-
poser, and bandleader.
(4) Mr. Gillespie has received many additional
honors; the National Medal of Arts, presented by
President Bush; the Commandant D’Ordre des Arts
et Lettres, the highest honor in the arts in France,
presented by Minister of Culture Jack Lang;
crowned a traditional African chief, with the title
‘‘Bashere of Iperu’’, in Nigeria; and a Grammy life-
time Achievement Award from the National Acad-
emy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
(5) Mr. Gillespie has performed before numer-
ous royalty and countless world leaders, including 4
American Presidents.
(6) At the personal invitation of President Sam
Nujoma, Mr. Gillespie performed at the State Inde-
pendence Banquet of Namibia, before the leaders of
virtually every country in the world; the audience in-
cluded kings, presidents, prime ministers, the Sec-
retary-General of the United Nations, Nelson
Mandela, and a host of other dignitaries.
(7) Mr. Gillespie is acclaimed as a visionary
risk-taker whose daring integration of ethnic influ-
ences added a vibrant and indelible dimension to
jazz, and to music in all of its popular forms.
(8) Mr. Gillespie and the late Charlie ‘‘Bird’’
Parker pioneered Bebop, a new and fresh harmonic
and rythmic vocabulary which created a musical rev-
olution that completely transformed jazz and dra-
matically impacted on 20th Century musical culture.
(9) Mr. Gillespie is universally credited as the
catalyst who incorporated Afro-Cuban, Brazilian,
and Caribbean music and rhythms into the jazz
idiom.
(10) Mr. Gillespie’s third great big band, the
United Nation Orchestra, which exemplifies the es-
sence of Mr. Gillespie’s universal musical philosophy,
has enthralled audiences in 20 countries on the con-
tinents of North America, South America, Europe,
and Australia, since the band’s inception in 1988.
(11) In 1956, Mr. Gillespie was the firsts jazz
artist appointed by the Department of State as Cul-
tural Ambassador to tour on behalf of the United
States of America, and his resoundingly successful
tours through the Near East, Asia, Eastern Europe,
and Latin America were early landmarks in what
has been a virtual lifetime of cultural statesmanship
by the inimitable jazz master on behalf of his coun-
try.
(12) In January 1989, Mr. Gillespie once again
was asked to represent the United States and em-
barked on a ground-breaking, month-long tour in
Africa, sponsored by the United States Information
Agency Arts America Program.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED.—The President is
authorized to present, on behalf of the Congress, to John
Birks ‘‘Dizzy’’ Gillespie a gold medal of appropriate de-
sign, in recognition of over half a century of musical ge-
nius.
(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For purposes of the
presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary
of the Treasury shall strike a gold medal with suitable em-
blems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined by the
Secretary.
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION.—There are
authorized to be appropriated not to exceed $25,000 to
carry out this section.
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
(a) STRIKING
AND SALE.—The Secretary of the
Treasury may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the
gold medal struck pursuant to section 2 under such regu-
lations as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient
to cover the cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies,
use of machinery, and overhead expenses, and the cost of
the gold medal.
(b) REIMBURSEMENT OF APPROPRIATION.—The ap-
propriation used to carry out section 2 shall be reimbursed
out of the proceeds of sales under subsection (a).
SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.
The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national
medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United
States Code.
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