WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will likely be in the home for the Kennedy Middle Honors on Sunday.
Biden and first girl Jill Biden plan to take their seats within the presidential field within the performing arts heart’s Opera Home for a star-studded celebration of 5 artists: Motown Information creator Berry Gordy, “Saturday Evening Dwell” mastermind Lorne Michaels, actress-singer Bette Midler, opera singer Justino Diaz and people music legend Joni Mitchell.
The Democrat would be the first president to attend the Kennedy Middle Honors since 2016. The primary girl’s spokesperson, Michael LaRosa, confirmed the Bidens could be attending.
President Donald Trump and first girl Melania Trump skipped the present the primary three years he was in workplace after a number of of the artists who have been honored in 2017, his first yr, threatened to boycott a White Home reception if the Republican participated.
The 2020 ceremony was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and held earlier this yr.
The Trumps additionally scrapped a standard White Home ceremony for the honorees, which Biden is resuming as properly on Sunday. Presidents historically host a lighthearted gathering with the honorees on the White Home earlier than the awards ceremony.
Trump lengthy had a contentious relationship with the humanities world.
The forty fourth Kennedy Middle Honors program is returning in-person to the Opera Home this yr, with all attendees required to be examined upfront for COVID-19.
Final yr, the pandemic compelled organizers to bump the annual December ceremony again to Might 2021. Efficiency tributes to the artists have been filmed over a number of nights and at a number of places on campus.
This yr’s fundamental COVID-related modification has shifted the annual Saturday ceremony, the place honorees obtain their medallions on rainbow-colored ribbons, to the Library of Congress as a substitute of the State Division.
The Kennedy Middle itself not too long ago reopened after being closed due to the pandemic.
Sunday’s ceremony, which will likely be broadcast Dec. 22 by CBS, is the centerpiece of the Kennedy Middle’s fiftieth anniversary of cultural programming. The middle opened in 1971.
Presidents often attend the honors program, first held in 1978.
