President Joe Biden hosted a ceremony yesterday honoring the 2021 recipients of the National Humanities Medals and the National Medals of Arts. Biden awarded 11 National Humanities Medals and the 12 National Medals of Arts, honoring several notable singers, actors and writers, including Bruce Springsteen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Gladys Knight. The ceremony was the first the administration has hosted. The National Medal of Arts is awarded to artists and organizations who have “advanced the arts in America and offered inspiration to others through their distinguished achievement, support, or patronage,” according to a White House statement. The National Humanities Medal is given to those “whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the humanities and broadened our citizens’ engagement with history, literature, languages, philosophy, and other humanities subjects.”