President Biden honored 19 individuals with the United States’ highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in a ceremony on Friday. Among the recipients were several Democratic allies, including former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former Vice-President Al Gore, and former Secretary of State John Kerry.
Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, who gave Biden a critical endorsement in the 2020 primary, also received the prestigious award. Civil rights leaders were well-represented among the recipients, with LGBTQ activist Judy Shepard, Juneteenth recognition advocate Opal Lee, lawyer Clarence Jones, and Mississippi civil rights leader Medgar Evers all being honored.
Other notable recipients included United Farm Workers president Teresa Romero, Catholic priest Fr. Greg Boyle, talk-show host Phil Donahue, Olympian Katie Ledecky, Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh, astronomer Jane Rigby, and former NASA Johnson Space Center director Ellen Ochoa. The first American Indian Olympic gold medalist, Jim Thorpe, and the late Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey also received posthumous awards.
Former Sen. Elizabeth Dole, the only Republican lawmaker recognized, was honored for her service in the cabinets of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. The Presidential Medal of Freedom was established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy and is the highest civilian award in the nation, recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, or cultural endeavors.
President Biden himself received the medal from then-President Barack Obama in 2017 while serving as vice president. The ceremony highlighted the diverse contributions of the recipients and celebrated their dedication to the ideals of freedom and democracy.
