RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed that Philippe Etienne, Ambassador of France to the United States, presented President & CEO Perri Irmer The Order of Arts and Letters in a ceremony held at the DuSable Museum of African American History ("museum") on June 28, 2021; and
WHEREAS, The Order of Arts and Letters was established in 1957 to recognize eminent artists and writers, as well as people who have contributed significantly to furthering the arts and culture in France and throughout the world; and
WHEREAS, President & CEO Irmer was honored for DuSable programs highlighting the relationship between African Americans and the French, which included efforts like the museum hosting the first U.S. exhibit of Paris' Palais de Tokyo in 2017, which brought French and Chicago artists together; and
WHEREAS, The museum also brought French artists Nicolas Henry to work with South Side youth in 2017, creating a photo project about Jean-Baptiste Point DuSable; and
WHEREAS, Other programs included the 2018 exhibit on the African American 370th Infantry Regiment of Illinois, which was forced to fight under French command during World War I because white officers refused to lead African American troops in a segregated U.S. Army; and
WHEREAS, Another exhibit currently on display at the museum is the Bessie Coleman Centennial Exhibit which celebrates the achievements of the African American woman who was one of only two female pilots of her era who held a pilot's license earned in France because she was barred from U.S. flight schools; and
WHEREAS, As a result of these exhibits and projects, President and CEO Irmer received France's highest honor in the arts which is awarded annually to only a few hundred people worldwide; and
WHEREAS, Recent American recipients of the prestigious award include Leonardo di Caprio, Jonathan Franzen, David Lynch, Wynton Marsalis, Quentin Tarantino, Meryl Streep, Forest Whitaker, and Kehinde Willey; and
WHEREAS, The D...
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