The United States Marine Band began in 1798. Thomas Jefferson called it “The President’s own.” To this day, 135 Marines continue to perform the White House score at parties and inaugurations. Last year, the Marines judged an amateur music contest. The Marines would then perform with the winning band. The concert was scheduled. The concert was planned. Last month, the concert was cancelled. The young musicians were Blacks, Hispanics, Indians and Asians. President Trump’s executive order was against diversity programs. Many wanted to hear the young musicians who were being silenced. This included veterans from military bands, who came together in an improvised ensemble of equity you could call America’s Own.
The military band veterans and 22 students who missed their chance to perform at a concert were rehearsed together at Strathmore Music Center, near Washington.
This music was originally planned for the cancelled show. John Philip Sousa’s “Nobles of the Mystic Shrine”. Sousa led the Marine Band in a century and half ago and wrote “Stars and Stripes Forever,” a great classic of the patriot songbook.
Rishab Jain : We are a country that is proud to be the land of freedom, the home of bravery. I am just as convinced as everyone else that this is true. We need different perspectives to achieve this. We must learn how other people think.
Rishab Jain, 18, was one of the students who were barred from joining the Marines. He was born to Indian parents in America and is a Harvard-accepted high school senior.
Rishab Jain says: “If we are a society who suppresses art, then we’re afraid of what we might reveal about ourselves.” If we suppress music, then we suppress emotions, expression, vulnerability, and the essence of who we are. We devalue our own humanity. We are degrading ourselves.
Scott Pelley: It seems you don’t believe in limits.
Rishab Jain Rishab jain: No, absolutely not.
Last year, Rishab Jain, along with about 60 other people, from all over the country, uploaded auditions to be judged by Marines. Zakyya Mclenny from Pennsylvania uploaded her clarinet.
Scott Pelley: Were you sure you’d be selected?
Zakyya McClenny: Yes!
Scott Pelley: Your confidence is high.
Zakyya McClenny: I do.
Scott Pelley: What made you think that you would be selected?
Zakyya Mclenny : I am confident in my daily life.
She was right. Zakyya won. All the contestants were organized by Equity Arc in Chicago, a nonprofit that connects young musicians of color to mentors and career opportunities. Here’s why: American orchestras are today 80% White, 12% Asian, 5% Latino, and 2% Back. It’s no wonder that Equity Arc executive director received an unexpected phone call in 2022.
Scott Pelley, the Marines called you.
Stanford Thompson:
Stanford Thompson was asked how the band can reach out to musicians who are of color. The band’s mission is to educate young people.
Stanford Thompson: In that phone conversation with the Marine Band, I shared a great deal of information and ideas that we as an organization have gained. When I got off the telephone, it was just… it was crazy. It was like “Wait. Let me call him back because I need to offer a way, or some ideas for how Equity Arc and Marine Band can work together. We found that many musicians of color leave the music scene at this age. We thought, “Can we bring some of the best musicians that we auditioned through a competition to Washington for a few days to spend with the band?”
This is how the ‘couple days’ should have looked. Zakaya Mclenny and other top music students learn from the best.
The date for their wind symphony is set to be May 4th. Until President Trump’s executive order banning programs for diversity.
President Trump: The tyranny that was Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has been ended in the federal government, the private sector, and even our military. Our country will no longer be woke!
The president claims he’s building a “color-blind, merit-based” society as a response to what some saw as progressive politics taken too far. His order was comprehensive and called diversity programs “illegal, immoral discrimination.” It also called them “an enormous public waste.”
But this executive order is only the beginning. The President is reversing 60 years of protections against discrimination for women, seniors, people with disabilities and people of colour.
Trump lifted President Johnson’s ban of 1965 on bias in the workplace. He shut down the Social Security Office of Civil Rights, and fired the leaders of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which investigates workplace bias.
Cari Dominguez : I believe we are at a pivotal point in our society. We have to decide which direction we want to take.
Cari Dominguez was the EEOC chair for George W. Bush. She was 12 when her family fled Cuba.
Scott Pelley: According to the argument that is behind the executive order, America has eradicated racism and that no one is now held back in this country by race.
Cari Dominguez : The data does not support this.
Dominguez said that according to the data, the EEOC receives around 100,000 claims of discrimination from Americans every year.
Scott Pelley: In the executive order, it says that programs like those you enforced are “immoral.”
Cari Dominguez : It is morally wrong to deny people the chance to succeed. I’ve seen people with beautiful resumes. They get an interview. You know, they come in using a wheelchair and suddenly the opportunity is gone. It’s immoral to deny people the opportunity because they are not treated fairly.
In this email, the Marine Band commanding officer told Equity Arc’s Stan Thompson that “we will not be allowed to reschedule as long as the executive orders are in place.” I am very sorry to have this bad news.
Stanford Thompson: I was overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness and sadness.
Scott Pelley: Were you aware that the concert had been canceled due to the color of your complexion?
Rishab Jain: Absolutely. I could not think of any other reason. I was prepared. I did everything I could to get there. Being Indian, I thought yeah, what else would be the reason?
This past week, all questions were answered. The students were in Washington to perform and for rehearsals. 60 Minutes, as we do so often, paid for the plane tickets and travel costs to bring our interviewees together. Equity Arc booked the rehearsal hall and concert hall to try and replace the marine band, which was easy.
John Abbracciamento : Well, usually there are two ways to respond to something. You could complain or do something. I made my decision in a matter of seconds. It was the simplest decision I’ve ever made.
John Abbracciamento, retired Marine Band trombone, and Jennifer Marotta are easy to play for.
Scott Pelley: Marines obey orders. You don’t need to like them. What do you suppose the members of the group think about all this?
John Abbracciamento : I know them by heart. It’s not too risky for me to tell you how disappointed these people were.
Equity Arc, after the Marines were ordered to stand-down, reached out to retired band members from all branches of service, including the Army, Navy and Coast Guard. Jennifer Marotta, who was flying on her own dime from LA, answered the call.
Jennifer Marotta: I was shocked when I received that email. I immediately looked at my calendar and said “I could move everything.” I booked a ticket. I booked a flight literally one week before.
John Abbracciamento : I challenge you, literally anyone, to come and tell me that this concert is damaging to the United States. It doesn’t. It makes us better.
Scott Pelley: It was not your intention to be in this room today. This ensemble wasn’t meant to be heard. What does this moment of your life on this stage mean to you?
Sean Mouzon: I am Sean Mouzon and I come from Atlanta, Georgia. I am a Junior at Southwest DeKalb. Music is something that unites us all. Music is what I love. I’m here because of all these talented, amazing people. I do not want anyone to lose this because of another person’s opinion or anything else other than why we enjoy doing this.
Vanessa Cabrera Vanessa Cabrera is from Rockaway in New Jersey. We have worked hard to get here. We are here because we belong. We are here because we have the talent. This is for the children, but also for people who may be in the same position as us. Nobody can tell you what you should do if you set your mind to it.
Ricardo Lazaro: My name is Ricardo Lazaro. I’m originally from San Antonio, Texas. I want to make the world a better place. It seems that we are slowly moving away from this. And we gotta make a change. I think everyone is capable of making a change. But will we do it?
Julie Angelis Boehler: My name is Julie Angelis Boehler. After 23 years, I retired as timpanist for the U.S. Army Band Pershing’s own. Not just in music, but all of it. Diversity, equity and inclusion are essential in sports, academia, and other areas. Many thanks.
The original Marine Band concert was seen by hundreds. These musicians will be heard by millions tonight. Rodney Dorsey, Florida State University conductor, is at the podium conducting “Gallop”, by Dimitri Shostakovich. The band looks like America.
Nicole Young and Kristin Steven produced the show. Broadcast associate, Michelle Karim. Warren Lustig edited the show.
Editor’s Note: Paramount Global, CBS News’ parent company, announced last month that it would be modifying its DEI policies. The company stated that the changes were made to conform with federal guidelines under the newly elected presidential administration.
