MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Dave Grohl, Mellon Foundation's Elizabeth Alexander, and Filmmaker George C. Wolfe at 'BALL for THE MALL'
Media availability: TRUST FOR THE NATIONAL MALL TO RECOGNIZE DAVE GROHL, MELLON FOUNDATION’S ELIZABETH ALEXANDER, AND FILMMAKER GEORGE C. WOLFE AT 'BALL for THE MALL’
Honorees to receive 2024 History, Heroes & Hope Award at May 8 event as important American storytellers
For Immediate Release – April 29, 2024
Media Contacts:
Julie Moore
Trust for the National Mall
202-297-6106
jmoore@nationalmall.org
WASHINGTON (April 29, 2024) — The Trust for the National Mall’s signature spring gala, BALL for THE MALL: A Celebration of Storytelling on the National Mall, will honor three luminaries with the 2024 History, Heroes & Hope Award.
The 2024 honorees, Grammy Award-winning musician Dave Grohl, Tony Award-winning filmmaker George C. Wolfe, and the Mellon Foundation, accepted by President Elizabeth Alexander, will be recognized as important American storytellers. All three honorees share a dedication to deepening our understanding of untold stories that connect people, perspectives, and history across generations.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the History, Heroes & Hope Award. In its tenth year, the Trust for the National Mall honors individuals and institutions that embody the ideals of America’s Front Yard.
Past History, Heroes & Hope Award honorees include Sheila Johnson, Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad, Lonnie G. Bunch III, José Andrés, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and David M. Rubenstein, who will also join this year’s BALL for THE MALL as a featured presenter. WHAT: BALL for THE MALL media availability & invite for coverage WHEN: Wednesday, May 8, 2024, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. NOTE: To arrange interviews and cameras outside of the times above through 10 p.m., please contact Julie Moore at jmoore@nationalmall.org WHERE: National Mall, grass panel at 1300 Jefferson Drive SW WHO: Interviews may be arranged with honorees or featured speakers. Contact Julie Moore at jmoore@nationalmall.org or Hana Hancock at hhancock@nationalmall.org for requests.
Featured speakers and presenters include CNN’s Wolf Blitzer; Trust Board Chair & Humana CEO Bruce Broussard; Actress, singer and member of Trust for the National Mall Honorary America 250 Council Lynda Carter; Trust Board Members and BALL for THE MALL Co-Chairs Georgette “Gigi” Dixon and Nels Olson; U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland; Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden; Trust Board Vice-Chair & Founder and CEO of Salamander Collection Sheila Johnson; National Mall and Memorial Parks Superintendent Jeff Reinbold; Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of the Carlyle Group David M. Rubenstein; and Trust for the National Mall President and CEO Catherine Townsend.
HISTORY, HEROES & HOPE AWARD HONOREE QUOTES:
“The Mall holds a special place in both our country’s history and my own heart as someone who grew up in Washington. Beyond Granite has helped to reimagine whom, what, and how we celebrate in this historic civic space, creating a paradigm that future generations can further scale and refine. We at Mellon are grateful for the Trust’s recognition and ongoing collaboration in this work.” – Dr. Elizabeth Alexander, Accepting on behalf of Mellon Foundation
“My history with the people and places of Washington, D.C. runs deep. My Heroes were the musicians who played the punk, go-go and rock & roll that shaped my musical vocabulary. And Hope is what all of these friends, family and experiences instilled in me, and continue to inspire in me to this day. I understand that this is an award for Storytelling, which makes sense, too — D.C. is the beginning of my story, a story that’s come full circle as I accept this incredible honor on the National Mall." – Dave Grohl
“The National Mall is a place of such majesty and power. And Bayard Rustin was and is an American Treasure. And so to make a film which celebrates the coming together of these two monumental forces has been an absolute joy. And to in turn be honored by the Trust for the National Mall within the year that the film was released, is humbling to say the least. I am deeply grateful and proud.” – George C. Wolfe
A limited number of individual tickets and sponsorships are remaining. For more information go here. For downloadable bios and photos of our History, Heroes & Hope Award honorees, and for questions, please contact Hana Hancock at hhancock@nationalmall.org.
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ABOUT THE TRUST FOR THE NATIONAL MALL: As the leading nonprofit, nonpartisan philanthropic partner of the National Park Service, the Trust for the National Mall is dedicated to restoring, enriching and preserving the National Mall. The Trust brings private funding, project expertise and in-kind support to help elevate the National Mall and its historic purpose, especially critical as we approach America’s 250th in 2026. The Trust raises funding, leads capital restoration and sustainability projects, mobilizes volunteer operations and provides innovative educational experiences to ensure the National Mall, with 36 million visits each year, endures as a vibrant civic stage for all. The Trust is also the philanthropic partner of The White House grounds and President’s Park, adjacent to the National Mall. Learn more and support our mission: www.nationalmall.org | information@nationalmall.org | @thenationalmall About our 2024 History, Heroes & Hope Award Honorees:
Dave Grohl is a 19-time Grammy-winning musician, songwriter, best-selling author and D.C. native. Grohl has been one of the most beloved and respected figures on the international music scene since his debut with Nirvana on 1991’s generation-defining record “Nevermind,” which would go on to sell more than 30 million copies. Grohl has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice—first as a member of Nirvana in 2014 and then as a member of Foo Fighters in 2021. In addition to his extensive catalogue with Nirvana and Foo Fighters, Grohl has a well-earned reputation as a prolific collaborator who has worked with Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Neil Young, and Elton John—to name a few. In 2013, Grohl made his feature debut as a director/producer with the critically acclaimed documentary “Sound City,” which told the story of the California studio where Nirvana recorded “Nevermind.” Grohl’s subsequent directorial efforts included the HBO docuseries “Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways,” which received two Emmy awards, and feature-length documentary and tribute to musicians everywhere “What Drives Us.” In 2021, Dave Grohl debuted as an author with “The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music,” which shot to #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List. “The Storyteller” has captivated individual readers and live audiences alike, adding to Grohl’s ever-growing list of accolades. Mellon Foundation is a multi-billion-dollar philanthropy and the nation’s largest funder of the arts and humanities. Through grants, the Mellon Foundation seeks to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Foundation President Elizabeth Alexander is a celebrated poet, scholar, cultural advocate and a nationally recognized thought leader. Dr. Alexander was previously the director of Creativity and Free Expression at the Ford Foundation where she guided the organization in examining how the arts and visual storytelling can empower communities. Dr. Alexander has taught and inspired generations of students as a scholar and educator at the University of Chicago where she was honored with the Quantrell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Smith College, Yale University—where she helped rebuild and chaired the African American Studies Department—and Columbia University. An author or co-author of fifteen books, Dr. Alexander was twice a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize: for poetry with American Sublime and for biography with her 2015 memoir, the New York Times best-seller The Light of the World. In 2009, she composed and delivered the poem “Praise Song for the Day” for President Barack Obama's inauguration. TIME Magazine named Dr. Alexander one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2022 and in 2019, she was awarded Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Medal.
George C. Wolfe is a filmmaker (Rustin and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom); 5-time Tony Award Winner, renowned playwright and producer. Wolfe has firmly established himself as one of Ameria’s most important and influential cultural voices. Wolfe most recently directed “Rustin,” the story of Bayard Rustin who was the architect of 1963’s March on Washington, and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” starring Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman. “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” would go on to win two Academy Awards. Wolfe first gained international acclaim for his play “The Colored Museum,” which opened at New York City’s Public Theatre. He has directed 17 Broadway productions. Wolfe made his directorial film debut with “Lackawanna Blues,” which won four NAACP Image Awards. Subsequently, Wolfe directed “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” starring Oprah Winfrey and Rose Byrne. Wolfe has served on distinguished boards, including the President’s Committee for the Arts and Humanities. He was also the Chief Creative Officer for the Center of Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta and was a producer of the Public Theatre/New York Shakespeare Festival. George C. Wolfe was named “Living Landmark” by the New York Landmarks Conservancy.