108TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 501
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 sta-
tus, and race;
•HCON 501 EH
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 Aus-
tralia 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 Pub-
lishers 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 at-
tention, support, and resources to ensure that it is pre-
served, understood, and promulgated;
•HCON 501 EH
Whereas Washington, D.C., does not currently host its own
jazz festival;
Whereas Charles Fishman, who was Dizzy Gillespie’s per-
sonal manager 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;
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
concurring), 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
•HCON 501 EH
(3) supports the annual Duke Ellington Jazz
Festival to be held in Washington, D.C., beginning
in 2005.
Passed the House of Representatives September 30,
2004.
Attest:
Clerk.
108TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 501
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Honoring the life and work of Duke Ellington, rec-
ognizing the 30th anniversary of the Duke
Ellington School of the Arts, and supporting the
annual Duke Ellington Jazz Festival.