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March 21 (UPI) -- Rock 'n' roll legend Bruce Springsteen and award-winning actress Julia Louis Dreyfus were among the 12 people awarded the National Medal of the Arts Tuesday at the White House. U.S. President Joe Biden bestowed the highest American award given to artists during a ceremony Tuesday afternoon, where he also awarded 11 recipients with the National Humanities Medal.
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"We're a nation, a great nation in large part because of the power of the arts and humanities that is stamped into the DNA of America," Biden told the assembled crowd.
The "Empress of Soul," Gladys Knight, also was awarded the National Medal of the Arts, as was actress and producer Mindy Kaling, songwriter Jose Feliciano, fashion designer Vera Wang, and artist Judith Francisca Baca, among others.
The Billie Holiday Theatre and International Association of Blacks in Dance also received the medal as an institution.
"The work of our honorees is as diverse as the nation that celebrates with them today," Biden said, before awarding the individual medals.
Authors Colson Whitehead and Amy Tan were two of 11 recipients of the National Humanities Medal.
All recipients of both medals attended the gathering, except for Feliciano.
In a surprise move, Biden in September awarded the National Humanities Medal to Sir Elton John following a performance at the White House.
