President Biden recently bestowed the United States' highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, upon 19 distinguished individuals during a ceremony at the White House. The recipients, many of whom are Democratic allies, were recognized for their significant contributions to various fields.
Among the notable awardees were 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 played a pivotal role in endorsing Biden during the 2020 primary, was also honored with the prestigious medal.
In his remarks, President Biden emphasized the importance of the Presidential Medal of Freedom as a symbol of American ideals and the pursuit of freedom. The recipients included prominent civil rights leaders such as LGBTQ activist Judy Shepard, Juneteenth recognition advocate Opal Lee, lawyer Clarence Jones, and Mississippi civil rights leader Medgar Evers.
Other recipients of the award 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 late American Indian Olympic gold medalist Jim Thorpe and former Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey were posthumously honored with the award. The only Republican lawmaker recognized was former Sen. Elizabeth Dole, who served in the cabinets of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom, established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, is a prestigious accolade that recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the security, national interests, world peace, or cultural endeavors of the United States. President Biden himself received the medal from then-President Barack Obama in 2017 during his tenure as vice president.
