Good friends of the Manhattan Institute were among the winners of the 2007 National Arts and Humanities Medals bestowed today at the White House by President Bush. Among them were Roger Hertog, chairman emeritus of the Institute’s board of trustees, Stephen H. Balch, founder and longtime president of the National Association of Scholars, and author Victor Davis Hanson.
Here is the complete list of winners:
The 2007 National Humanities Medal recipients:
Stephen H. Balch, for his leadership and advocacy upholding the noblest traditions of higher education. His work on behalf of scholarship and a free society has made him a proponent of reform and a champion of excellence at our nation’s universities.
Russell Freedman, for his recounting of the history of our nation’s struggle for liberty. With great insight and creativity, he has awakened young readers to our nation’s ongoing quest for justice for all.
Victor Davis Hanson, for his scholarship on civilizations past and present. He has cultivated the fields of history and brought forth an abundant harvest of wisdom for our times.
Roger Hertog, for his enlightened philanthropy on behalf of humanities. His wisdom and generosity have rejuvenated the institutions that are the keepers of American memory.
Cynthia Ozick, for her literary criticism, which has traced the shifting currents of American arts and letters. In her criticism and essays she has been a lifelong advocate and practitioner of moral clarity and literary excellence.
Richard Pipes, for his peerless scholarship on Russia and Eastern Europe and for his dedication to the cause of freedom. He has shaped and sharpened our understanding of the contest between liberty and tyranny.
Pauline L. Schultz, for her stewardship of a precious trove of local historical knowledge. She has been a collector and curator of facts and artifacts that capture a century of human experience on Wyoming’s high plains.
Henry Leonard Snyder, for his visionary leadership in bridging the worlds of scholarship and technology. His direction of massive projects in the digital humanities has opened new frontiers in cataloguing and preserving ideas and documents for future generations.
Ruth R. Wisse, for her scholarship and teaching that have illuminated Jewish literary traditions. Her insightful writings have enriched our understanding of Yiddish literature and Jewish culture in the modern world.
Robert Edsel, Seymore Pomrenze, James Reeds, Harry Ettlinger, Horace Apgar, Jr., winners of the 2007 National Humanities Medal to Monuments Men Foundation for the preservation of art, for sustained efforts to identify and recognize the contributions of the scholar-soldiers of the Second World War. We are forever indebted to the men and women who, in an era of total war, rescued and preserved a precious portion of the world’s heritage.
The National Medals of Arts Recipients for 2007:
Eric Kunzel, for his innovative achievements as a conductor. His remarkable “Pops” performances of classical and popular music have expanded the appeal of both and brought great music to millions.
Morten Lauridsen, for his composition of radiant choral works combining musical power, beauty, and spiritual depth that have thrilled audiences worldwide.
N. Scott Momaday, for his writings and his work that celebrate and preserve Native American art and oral tradition. He has introduced millions worldwide to the essence of Native American culture.
Roy R. Neuberger, for his longstanding personal patronage of America’s young and emerging visual artists. His keen eye and generous support have enriched American art.
Craig Noel, for his decades of leadership as a pillar of the American theater. As a director of hundreds of plays and a mentor to generations of artists, his work has inspired audiences and theater producers across the nation.
Les Paul, for his innovation as a musician, his pioneering designs of the electric guitar, and his groundbreaking recording techniques that have influenced the development of American jazz, blues, and pop music, and inspired generations of guitarists.
Henry Z. Steinway, for his devotion to preserving and promoting quality craftsmanship and performance, as an arts patron and advocate for music and music education; and for continuing the fine tradition of the Steinway piano as an international symbol of American ingenuity and cultural excellence.
George Tooker, for his paintings that combine realism and symbolism, transforming scenes of American life into iconic images. His metaphysical works reveal man’s journey from despair to triumph.
Dr. Tim White and John Clayton. The 2007 National Medal of Arts to the University of Idaho Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival for preserving and promoting the uniquely American art of jazz, educating teachers and young musicians, and for continuing to explore diverse cultural connections forged by Lionel Hampton in the collaboration with the Nez Perce.
Andrew Wyeth, for a lifetime of paintings whose meticulous realism have captured the American consciousness, and whose austere vision has displayed the depth and dignity of American life.
