Kennedy Center Jazz Concert Canceled as Trump Name Change Sparks Debate

The **John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts** is the United States' national cultural center, located on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., and serves as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. Established by an Act of Congress in 1964 and opened in 1971, the Kennedy Center presents a diverse range of performing arts including classical and contemporary music, opera, drama, dance, jazz, pop, and folk music, showcasing both American and international artists[1][2][4]. It is the official home of the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera[2][3]. The center operates as a public-private partnership, funded largely through private donations, ticket sales, and corporate gifts, with federal funding designated primarily for building maintenance and operations[2]. Architect Edward Durell Stone designed the original building, characterized by its monumental white marble façade and grand interior spaces such as the 630-foot Grand Foyer and the acoustically renowned Concert Hall with a seating capacity of 2,460[2][3]. A significant recent development is **The REACH**, an expansion opened in 2019 designed by Steven Holl Architects. This addition transforms the center into a “living theater” by providing flexible indoor and outdoor spaces for rehearsal, education, and community engagement, blending architecture with landscape. The REACH includes art studios, performance spaces, and a reflective landscape honoring JFK’s legacy through symbolic elements like a grove of 35 ginkgo trees and a reflecting pool inspired by his WWII boat, PT109[1][5]. The Kennedy Center also offers extensive educational and outreach programs aimed at cultural enrichment and diversity, maintaining a commitment to artistic excellence[4]. Its venues are available for public and private events, and it features dining options and art-themed retail shops[3]. As of 2025, the center’s leadership includes President Andy Pharoah and Artistic Director Francesca Zambello, continuing its role as

**George Washington University (GWU)** is a private, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., founded in 1821 as Columbian College by an Act of Congress, fulfilling George Washington's vision for a national intellectual hub.[1][2][4] Located primarily in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood—blocks from the White House—it educates over 25,000 students across three campuses, emphasizing liberal arts, professional skills, ethical responsibility, and public service in fields like international affairs, law, medicine, and technology.[1][2][4] GWU's history traces to 1821, when President Monroe chartered it as a non-denominational institution; the first commencement in 1824 drew dignitaries like Monroe and Lafayette.[1] It relocated to Foggy Bottom in 1912, boasting the District's oldest law school, the nation's 11th-oldest medical school (established 1824), and the Elliott School of International Affairs (1898).[1][3] Key milestones include treating Abraham Lincoln (1853), pioneering women's medical education (1887), admitting its first Black medical graduate (1959), and hosting atomic fission revelations (1939) and Reagan's post-assassination care (1981).[3][4] Achievements shine through alumni like five U.S. Supreme Court justices, Colin Powell, J. Edgar Hoover, and Jackie Kennedy, who shaped policy, law, and intelligence.[4] In business and technology, GWU's Virginia Science and Technology Campus fosters innovation, while its medical school advanced pharmacology (e.g., Nobel laureate Julius Axelrod, PhD '55) and AIDS research.[3][4] Ranked prominently in global standings, it excels in internships via D.C. proximity to agencies and firms.[4] Today, GWU thrives with a vibrant campus life—arts ensembles, championship soccer and basketball legacies since 1906, and mas