The remark drew large cheers and a standing ovation from the audience in the East Room, where Biden was joined by First Lady Jill Biden, National Endowment for the Arts chair Maria Rosario Jackson and National Endowment for the Humanities chair Shelly C. Lowe.

The National Humanities Medals are awarded to people or organizations “whose work has deepened the nation's understanding of the human experience, broadened citizens' engagement with history or literature, or helped preserve and expand Americans' access ...

Biden was also honoring 19 recipients of National Humanities Medals, including playwright-screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and historian Jon Meacham. Late chef-author Anthony Bourdain received a posthumous humanities medal. Get top local stories in DFW delivered ...