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Jackson nominated for President's Freedom Medal - By Richard Reeder
This document was published online on Wednesday, February 21, 2007
After a lifetime of cowboying, service in war and artistry, world-renowned Cody artist Harry Jackson is in line for the nation's highest civilian honor.
Jackson has been nominated a second time for the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“I was nominated in 1996 during the Clinton administration, but it got shot down,” Jackson said.
“Back then I'm not sure what happened, but I hope politics stays out of it this time,” he said. “Art is above that and needs to be treated as such.”
The nomination sent to President Bush is accompanied by letters from people who know Jackson, his history and his work.
“I have a great series of letters,” Jackson said. “They include one from Allen Packwood who is in charge of the Churchill Archives in London.
“He wrote a powerful letter,” he added. “He said I'm in the ‘Churchillian mode.'”
Others from the art world who wrote include Peter Hassrick, the former longtime director of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center and currently director of the Institute for Western American Art in Denver.
“It was important to have people from the art world included,” Jackson said. “There is more of that this time and that's a good thing.”
He has submitted letters from retired Marine Corps Gen. Edwin Simmons and retired Marine Col. Avery Chenoweth.
“Those two really show my attachment to the Marine Corps and everything I went through,” Jackson said. “They understand me.”
The nomination packet includes letters from former Sen. Al Simpson of Cody and the late Peg Coe.
One person absent from the file is long-time friend Vice President Dick Cheney.
“He wrote a letter in 1996,” Jackson said. “I remember when he was asked he said he wasn't too popular in Washington then.
“But I told him it didn't matter,” he added. “They still knew who he was.”
But this time Cheney is taking a different approach.
Instead of writing a letter, Cheney will give a personal recommendation to the president.
“He told me it will go through channels beginning with the president's chief of staff,” Jackson said. “It will cycle its way to the president and then the vice president will be able to speak on it.”
The medal is awarded to civilians for contributions to the national security of the country, world peace or cultural or other significant public and private endeavors.
The medal was created by President Harry Truman in 1945 and the first recipients were honored for contributions to winning World War II.
The cultural considerations were started by President John Kennedy in 1961.
In the 46 years since, only five artists have won the award - Andrew Wyeth, Willem deKooning, Alexander Calder, Georgia O'Keeffe and Norman Rockwell.
“This would put me in some good company,” Jackson says. “It's been 30 years since President Ford gave medals to Calder, O‘Keeffe and Rockwell, so artists haven't received much recognition.”
Jackson has ties and friendships with the previous artist winners.
“The only one I don't know personally is Wyeth, but I know his sister who married a good friend of mine from New Mexico,” he said. “But I've been told he knows my work well and respects me as an artist.”
Jackson said the medal would mean a great deal to him.
“My position in life right now is deeper and clearer than it's ever been,” he said. “This nomination comes from my cowboy family, artist family and my Italian family.”
He said the letters reflect that no one has as varied a background as his.
“From being a cowboy to a Marine to a free sprit in the art world,” he said. “I've done so many things and I've never allowed anyone to fence me in.”
Jackson knows that despite that, politics plays a role in the selection.
“We all operate on endless levels in life,” he added. “And this is the political level we have to deal with.”
But he's encouraged by the words good friend Simpson wrote in his letter.
“He said it's been 30 years since an artist was honored,” Jackson said. “Al says, ‘It's Harry's time.'”
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