Earlier this month, The Kennedy Center held the 48th annual Kennedy Center Honors; but over the past 10 months there has been little to celebrate at the historic memorial for President John F. Kennedy.
Congress voted to put Kennedy’s name on the Performing Arts Center in 1964 after his assassination in Dallas the previous November.
Last week, workers rose high above the steps of The Kennedy Center to add another name to the building; only to spark yet another controversy at the iconic Center.
For some 20 years Chuck Redd has held a jazz concert on Christmas Eve at The Kennedy Center…but not this year. After the new name was added to the building, Redd cancelled the annual performance.
Redd spoke on his decision saying, “when I saw the name change on the Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to cancel our concert.”
Chuck Redd is a drummer and vibraphone player who took over the annual concerts from bass man William “Keter” Betts in 2006.
President Kennedy’s niece Kerry has vowed to have the addition removed.
There are also a number of people, former House historian Ray Smock included, who say that any changes to the name of The Kennedy Center must pass through Congress first.
Last week the new board who were appointed by The White House after the hostile takeover in February, “voted unanimously” to make the name change.
Reportedly, “the law explicitly prohibits the board of trustees from making the center into a memorial to anyone else, and from putting another person’s name on the building’s exterior.”
The Christmas Eve cancellation by Redd is just the latest in a long (and growing) list of artists who have cancelled performances in protest of the takeover and name change.