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THE JOHN CONYERS JR. JAZZ ADVOCACY AWARD
In 1987, the Honorable John Conyers, Jr., Congressman (D-MI) a champion of jazz, introduced a bill to the House and the Senate that cited the critical need to have America’s most unique and original
art form afforded a status commensurate with its value and importance in the United States.
The bill passed unanimously: “Jazz is hereby designated a rare and valuable national American treasure to which we should devote our attention, support and resources to make certain it is preserved,
understood and promulgated.
Last year, Congressman Conyers received the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival’s first jazz advocacy award in recognition of his long years of devotion and commitmentto jazz and his tireless efforts to ensure its
rightful place in America’s history. This year’s award will be presented
in Congressman Conyer’s honor and will recognize The Honorable Dana Gioia, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, for his dedication to the arts and specifically to the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters.
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| Dana Gioia |
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