@HillaryClinton Bill & Chelsea are back from a great BH&CCF trip to Africa, just in time for Bill's big news from POTUS:
President Obama Names Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients
2013 Marks 50th Anniversary of President Kennedy’s Establishment of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
WASHINGTON
– Today, President Barack Obama named sixteen recipients of the
Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the
Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made
especially meritorious contributions to the security or national
interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other
significant public or private endeavors. The awards will be presented at
the White House later this year.
This year marks the 50th
Anniversary of the Executive Order signed by President John F. Kennedy
establishing the Presidential Medal of Freedom, as well as the first
ceremony bestowing the honor on an inaugural class of 31 recipients.
Since that time, more than 500 exceptional individuals from all corners
of society have been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
President Obama
said, “The Presidential Medal of Freedom goes to men and women who have
dedicated their own lives to enriching ours. This year's honorees have
been blessed with extraordinary talent, but what sets them apart is
their gift for sharing that talent with the world. It will be my honor
to present them with a token of our nation's gratitude."
The following individuals will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom:
Ernie Banks
Known
to many as “Mr. Cub,” Ernie Banks is one of the greatest baseball
players of all time. During his 19 seasons with the Chicago Cubs, he
played in 11 All-Star Games, hit over 500 home runs, and became the
first National League player to win Most Valuable Player honors in
back-to-back years. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in
1977, his first year of eligibility.
Ben Bradlee
Ben Bradlee is one of the most respected newsmen of his generation. During his tenure as executive editor of The Washington Post,
Mr. Bradlee oversaw coverage of the Watergate scandal, successfully
challenged the Federal Government over the right to publish the Pentagon
Papers, and guided the newspaper through some of its most challenging
moments. He also served in the Navy during World War II.
Bill Clinton
President
Clinton was the 42nd President of the United States. Before taking
office, he served as Governor and Attorney General of the State of
Arkansas. Following his second term, President Clinton established the
Clinton Foundation to improve global health, strengthen economies,
promote health and wellness, and protect the environment. He also
formed the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund with President George W. Bush in
2010.
Daniel Inouye (posthumous)
Daniel
Inouye was a lifelong public servant. As a young man, he fought in
World War II with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, for which he
received the Medal of Honor. He was later elected to the Hawaii
Territorial House of Representatives, the United States House of
Representatives, and the United States Senate. Senator Inouye was the
first Japanese American to serve in Congress, representing the people of
Hawaii from the moment they joined the Union.
Daniel Kahneman
Daniel
Kahneman is a pioneering scholar of psychology. After escaping Nazi
occupation in World War II, Dr. Kahneman immigrated to Israel, where he
served in the Israel Defense Forces and trained as a psychologist.
Alongside Amos Tversky, he applied cognitive psychology to economic
analysis, laying the foundation for a new field of research and earning
the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2002. He is currently a professor at
Princeton University.
Richard Lugar
Richard
Lugar represented Indiana in the United States Senate for more than 30
years. An internationally respected statesman, he is best known for his
bipartisan leadership and decades-long commitment to reducing the
threat of nuclear weapons. Prior to serving in Congress, Senator Lugar
was a Rhodes Scholar and Mayor of Indianapolis from 1968 to 1975. He
currently serves as President of the Lugar Center.
Loretta Lynn
Loretta
Lynn is a country music legend. Raised in rural Kentucky, she emerged
as one of the first successful female country music vocalists in the
early 1960s, courageously breaking barriers in an industry long
dominated by men. Ms. Lynn’s numerous accolades include the Kennedy
Center Honors in 2003 and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.
Mario Molina
Mario
Molina is a visionary chemist and environmental scientist. Born in
Mexico, Dr. Molina came to America to pursue his graduate degree. He
later earned the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering how
chlorofluorocarbons deplete the ozone layer. Dr. Molina is a professor
at the University of California, San Diego; Director of the Mario Molina
Center for Energy and Environment; and a member of the President’s
Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
Sally Ride (posthumous)
Sally
Ride was the first American female astronaut to travel to space. As a
role model to generations of young women, she advocated passionately for
science education, stood up for racial and gender equality in the
classroom, and taught students from every background that there are no
limits to what they can accomplish. Dr. Ride also served in several
administrations as an advisor on space exploration.
Bayard Rustin (posthumous)
Bayard
Rustin was an unyielding activist for civil rights, dignity, and
equality for all. An advisor to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr., he promoted nonviolent resistance, participated in one of the first
Freedom Rides, organized the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and
Freedom, and fought tirelessly for marginalized communities at home and
abroad. As an openly gay African American, Mr. Rustin stood at the
intersection of several of the fights for equal rights.
Arturo Sandoval
Arturo
Sandoval is a celebrated jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer. Born
outside Havana, he became a protégé of jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie and
gained international acclaim as a dynamic performer. He defected to the
United States in 1990 and later became an American citizen. He has
been awarded nine Grammy Awards and is widely considered one of the
greatest living jazz artists.
Dean Smith
Dean
Smith was head coach of the University of North Carolina basketball
team from 1961 to 1997. In those 36 years, he earned 2 national
championships, was named National Coach of the Year multiple times, and
retired as the winningest men’s college basketball coach in history.
Ninety-six percent of his players graduated from college. Mr. Smith has
also remained a dedicated civil rights advocate throughout his career.
Gloria Steinem
Gloria
Steinem is a renowned writer and activist for women’s equality. She
was a leader in the women’s liberation movement, co-founded Ms.
magazine, and helped launch a wide variety of groups and publications
dedicated to advancing civil rights. Ms. Steinem has received dozens of
awards over the course of her career, and remains an active voice for
women’s rights.
Cordy Tindell “C.T.” Vivian
C.T.
Vivian is a distinguished minister, author, and organizer. A leader in
the Civil Rights Movement and friend to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., he participated in Freedom Rides and sit-ins across our
country. Dr. Vivian also helped found numerous civil rights
organizations, including Vision, the National Anti-Klan Network, and the
Center for Democratic Renewal. In 2012, he returned to serve as
interim President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Patricia Wald
Patricia
Wald is one of the most respected appellate judges of her generation.
After graduating as 1 of only 11 women in her Yale University Law School
class, she became the first woman appointed to the United States
Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, and served as
Chief Judge from 1986-1991. She later served on the International
Criminal Tribunal in The Hague. Ms. Wald currently serves on the
Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is one of the world’s most successful broadcast journalists. She is best known for creating The Oprah Winfrey Show,
which became the highest rated talk show in America for 25 years. Ms.
Winfrey has long been active in philanthropic causes and expanding
opportunities for young women. She has received numerous awards
throughout her career, including the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award in 2002
and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2010.
CONGRATULATIONS, MR. PRESIDENT!
