Presidential Notable Quotables: A Quiz

Whether it's Abe Lincoln's love for poetry or Bill Clinton's love of the saxophone or George W. Bush's new gig as a painter, more than a few U.S. presidents have had lasting, hands-on connections to the arts. They've also, in many cases, thought deeply about the relationship between the arts and democracy. In honor of Presidents Day, here are nine presidential quotes about the arts. Can you guess which POTUS is the author of each quote? (See below for the answer key.)

1. “The arts challenge our imaginations, nourish our spirits, and help to sustain our democracy."

2. “We’ve got to support our artists and celebrate their work, and do our part to ensure that the American creative spirit that has defined us from the very beginning will thrive for generations to come.”

3. “Music education opens doors that help children pass from school into the world around them—a world of work, culture, intellectual activity, and human involvement. The future of our nation depends on providing our children with a complete education that includes music.”

4. “I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain. ”

5. “Every time an artist dies, part of the vision of mankind passes with him. Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.”

6. “By honoring artists and their work, by recognizing the importance of their contribution, we not only reflect, but we help to mold the values of this country.”

7. “There is a connection, hard to explain logically but easy to feel, between achievement in public life and progress in the arts. The age of Pericles was also the age of Phidias. The age of Lorenzo de Medici was also the age of Leonardo da Vinci. The age of Elizabeth, also the age of Shakespeare. And the new frontier for which I campaign in public life, can also be a new frontier for American art.”

8. “To encourage literature and the arts is a duty which every good citizen owes to his country.”

9. "The arts help us express and process our hurt and outrage as well as our joy and wonder—to better understand the experiences of our neighbors.  By supporting and showcasing the creativity and experiences of those that have too often been discounted, we can advance our realization of a society that prioritizes equity and empathy."

 

ANSWER KEY

1. William J. Clinton

2. Barack Obama

3. Gerald Ford

4. John Adams

5. Franklin D. Roosevelt

6. Lyndon Johnson

7. John F. Kennedy

8. George Washington

9. Joseph R. Biden