A long-standing holiday tradition was abruptly ended when the Kennedy Center pulled its Christmas Eve jazz concert, citing the recent addition of Donald Trump’s name to the venue.
The Sudden Cancellation
Musician Chuck Redd, who has led the Kennedy Center’s annual holiday “Jazz Jams” since 2006, announced that he had called off the show after the White House announced last week that President Donald Trump’s name would be added to the building’s title. Redd, a drummer and vibraphone player who has toured with Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Brown, and many other luminaries, said:
> “When I saw the name change on the Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to cancel our concert,” Redd told The Associated Press in an email Wednesday.
Redd succeeded bassist William “Keter” Betts in 2006 and has been a staple of the center’s holiday programming for more than a decade. The Kennedy Center’s website now lists the event as canceled, and the organization has not yet issued a formal statement in response to Redd’s email.
The Name Change and Legal Fallout
The building’s façade now reads The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. The White House claims that Trump’s handpicked board approved the decision, a move scholars have said violates the law that Congress passed in 1964 to name the center a living memorial to President Kennedy.
The 1964 law explicitly bars the board of trustees from turning the center into a memorial for anyone else or from affixing another person’s name to the building’s exterior. Former House historian Ray Smock has warned that any changes would need congressional approval, and Kennedy’s niece, Kerry Kennedy, has vowed to remove Trump’s name from the building once the president leaves office.
Trump has been pushing for the name change for months, and the president’s involvement with the center has deepened in recent years. He has forced out the center’s leadership, overhauled its board, and arranged for himself to head it. Trump also personally hosted this year’s Kennedy Center honors, breaking a long tradition in which presidents have largely served as spectators.
Broader Cultural Repercussions
The decision to rename the Kennedy Center is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to challenge what it calls “woke” culture at federal cultural institutions. The move has prompted a wave of artist boycotts: Issa Rae and Peter Wolf have called off planned performances, and Lin-Manuel Miranda canceled a production of Hamilton.
The Kennedy Center’s cancellation of the jazz concert is the latest example of the cultural backlash that has emerged since Trump returned to office. The center’s official response remains pending, and the venue’s website currently lists the show as canceled.
Historical Context
President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, and Congress passed a law the following year to name the center a memorial in his honor. The law’s provisions are clear: the board cannot make the center a memorial for anyone else or add another name to the building’s exterior.
Trump, a Republican, has largely ignored the Kennedy Center during his first term, but his recent actions suggest a strategic shift. By taking control of the center’s board and adding his name to the building, Trump is signaling a broader campaign to reshape federal cultural institutions.
Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of John F. Kennedy, spoke at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, adding a personal dimension to the controversy.
Key Takeaways
- The Kennedy Center canceled its Christmas Eve jazz concert after adding Donald Trump’s name to the venue.
- The name change violates a 1964 law that protects the Kennedy Center’s status as a memorial to President Kennedy.
- Trump’s involvement with the center has intensified, including board overhaul and personal hosting of honors.
- Artists such as Issa Rae, Peter Wolf, and Lin-Manuel Miranda have canceled performances in response to the name change.
- Kerry Kennedy and former House historian Ray Smock have called for congressional action to remove Trump’s name.
The cancellation of the holiday concert marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate over the Kennedy Center’s identity and the broader cultural impact of the Trump administration’s policies.
Closing
The Kennedy Center’s decision to cancel its Christmas Eve jazz concert underscores the tension between tradition and political change. As the venue grapples with the legal and cultural implications of adding a new name to its historic façade, the nation watches closely to see whether the center will revert to its original dedication or embrace a new era of controversy.
