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In 1969, on the occasion of his 70th Birthday, Duke Ellington was honored at the White House. President Richard Nixon, who started the National Endowment for the Arts, played Happy Birthday on the piano for the Duke.
During his address at the White House celebration, Nixon said, “For the first time during this administration, I have the honor of presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I think it is most appropriate that that medal be presented to Duke Ellington. When we think of freedom, we think of many things. But Duke Ellington is one who has carried the message of freedom to all the nations of the world through music, through understanding, understanding that reaches over all national boundaries and over all boundaries of prejudice and over all boundaries of language.” #richardnixon #whitehouse #presidentialmedaloffreedom” #dukeellington
