Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Digital Library Collections This is a PDF of a folder from our textual collections. Collection: Speechwriting, White House Office of: Speech Drafts Folder Title: Nancy Reagan: Medal of Arts Luncheon. July 14, 1986 Box: 437 To see more digitized collections visit: https://reaganlibrary.gov/archives/digital-library To see all Ronald Reagan Presidential Library inventories visit: https://reaganlibrary.gov/document-collection Contact a reference archivist at:
[email protected] Citation Guidelines: https://reaganlibrary.gov/citing National Archives Catalogue: https://catalog.archives.gov/ MEDAL OF ARTS LUNCHEON - JULY 14, 1986 MARIAN ANDERSON WAS BORN IN PHILADELPHIA, AND AT THE AGE OF EIGHT, SHE STARTED SINGING IN CHOIRS, SHE BEGAN HER CAREER AS A CONTRALTO IN EUROPE; AND IT WAS SOL HUROK [SOL HYUR-ROK] WHO LAUNCHED ·•· .' ·,. HER CAREER IN THE UNITED STATES, IN 1955, SHE MADE HER DEBUT WITH THE NEW YORK METROPOLITAN OPERA, THEREBY PAVING THE WAY FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF BLACK PERFORMERS ON THE CONCERT STAGE, ARTURO TOSCANINI SAID THAT "A VOICE LIKE HERS COMES ONLY ONCE IN A CENTURY," MARIAN ANDERSON IS ONE OF THE GREATEST LADIES OF OPERA, AND ACCEPTING FOR HER TODAY IS HER COUSIN, MISS SANDRA GRYMES, I (2 FRANK CAPRA WAS BORN IN PALERMO, ITALY AND CAME TO OUR COUNTRY AT THE AGE OF SIX, HE HAS SERVED FOUR TIMES AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES AND THREE TIMES AS PRESIDENT OF THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD, A PIONEER OF THE ART OF FILM, HE IS ONE OF THE GREATEST DIRECTORS AND PRODUCERS IN MOTION PICTURE HISTORY, WE WILL NEVER FORGET THE CLASSIC FILMS IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, MR, DEEDS GOES TO TOWN, MR, SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, AND YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU, HE HAS EARNED FIVE ACADEMY AWARDS AND HAS BEEN HONORED WITH THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD OF THE AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE, FRANK CAPRA IS ONE OF THE TRULY GREAT ARTISTS OF A UNIQUELY AMERICAN STYLE OF FILM-MAKING, WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE HIS SON, TOM CAPRA, ACCEPTING ON HIS FATHER'S BEHALF, ', J .