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President Bush Honors Black Music Month
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For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary June 17, 2008

President Bush Honors Black Music Month East Room

˙ /news/releases/2008/06/20080617-10.wm.v.html ˙˙Presidential Remarks
˙˙Audio ˙˙Photos


3:01 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thanks for coming. Please be seated. Thank you. Welcome to
the White House. I really appreciate you coming to celebrate Black Music
Month. Music has been a part of this house since its beginning. Some of our
Presidents themselves were skilled musicians. Some were not. (Laughter.) As
a matter of fact, after The Temptations came here a couple of months ago, I
was so inspired that I thought I would take up singing. (Laughter.) Laura
said, you might just stick with practicing your speaking. (Laughter.) So
thanks for giving me a chance to do it today. And thanks for coming. We're
going to have a pretty special day here at the White House.

I want to thank my friend, Alphonso Jackson, and Marcia, it's good to see
you. Appreciate you being here.

Rod Paige, former Secretary of the Education, celebrating his 75th birthday
today. (Applause.) You're looking good, Rodney.

Dr. Dorothy Height -- honored you're here, Dr. Height. Proud to be with
you. (Applause.) Roslyn Brock, Vice Chairman of the NAACP -- Roslyn -- yes,
good to see you, Roslyn. Thanks for coming. (Applause.) Marc Morial,
President and CEO of the National Urban League -- proud to have you here,
Marc, thanks for coming. (Applause.)

John Styll, President and CEO of the Gospel Music Association -- thanks,
John. (Applause.) Dr. Bobby Jones, television host. Where are you, Bobby?
There you are -- Bobby. (Applause.) Dyana Williams, Co-founder and
President of the International Association of African American Music --
Dyana, thank you for coming. (Applause.) And everybody else. (Laughter.)

As we honor black music in America, our thoughts turn to one of its legends
-- Bo Diddley. Bo was one of the pioneers of rock and roll. And during his
more than five decades as a singer, songwriter and performer, he changed
the face of music. He really did. We mourn his loss, yet we know this --
that his memory will live on in the songs and the joy he brought to
millions -- including a little fellow like me. So all of us here today send
our thoughts and prayers to Bo Diddley's family.

Over the years, the White House has been home to many memorable events in
black music. I suspect that, 30 years from now, when a President is
speaking he's going to say, this is going to be one of the memorable
events. In 1882, President Chester A. Arthur invited to the White House the
first black choir ever to perform here -- the Jubilee Singers from Fisk
University in Tennessee. Of course, during those days they had trouble
finding a place to stay. But they were welcomed warmly here at the White
House -- just like everybody here is welcomed warmly at the White House.
Their music was so powerful that it moved President Arthur to tears.

In the ensuing decades, other Presidents followed this example --
recognizing the contributions of black musicians when many other Americans
would not. Benjamin Harrison welcomed the daughter of a former slave -- an
opera singer named Sisseretta Jones. President Franklin Roosevelt called on
the talented Maria [sic] Anderson to sing "Ave Maria" for the King and
Queen of England.

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter welcomed the legendary Chuck Berry in his
first official celebration of Black Music Month at the White House. Ever
the performer, Chuck Berry changed the lyrics in one of his famous songs
from "Oh Carol" to "Oh Amy," in honor of the little
girl sitting on the
White House lawn. The day's finale came when the entire audience rose to
its feet, swaying and clapping to the gospel song "Jesus is the Answer."

For this year's Black Music Month, we return to the theme of gospel music.
The gospel music tradition was born from great pain. Slaves sang spirituals
to communicate with one another in the fields, and songs of faith helped
black Americans endure the injustice of segregation. Today, gospel is more
than an anchor for black culture and history -- it's a source of
inspiration for the whole nation.

Gospel has influenced some of the legends of other forms of American music.
Louis Armstrong once said that when he sang in church his heart went into
every song. Aretha Franklin wowed crowds in her dad's church in Detroit.
Elvis Presley listened to gospel music after rock concerts to calm his
mind. And Bob Dylan won a Grammy for a song for his album of Gospel hymns.

Today, gospel music continues to provide strength for our communities, and
it is making the Good News sound sweeter than ever. I know you're looking
forward to three great gospel performers we have in store. So I'd like to
now turn the podium over to the founder of Gospel Today magazine -- our
outstanding emcee this evening, Teresa Hairston. (Applause.)

END 3:07 P.M. EDT

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