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Do not fill this in! {{Redirect|Medal of Freedom}} {{Short description|Joint-highest civilian award of the US}} {{Infobox civilian award |name = Presidential Medal of Freedom |image = Presidential Medal of Freedom.svg |image_size = 100px |caption = The award's miniature medal |type = [[Awards and decorations of the United States government|Civilian award]] |awarded_for = "An especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."<ref name="Executive Order 9586">[[s:Executive Order 9586|Executive Order 9586]], signed July 6, 1945; Federal Register 10 FR 8523, July 10, 1945.</ref><ref name="Executive Order 11085">[[s:Executive Order 11085|Executive Order 11085]], signed February 22, 1960; Federal Register 28.</ref> |country = United States |presenter = [[President of the United States]] |total_recipients = 647 (an average of fewer than 11 per year since 1993) |higher = ''None'' |same = [[Congressional Gold Medal]] |lower = [[Presidential Citizens Medal]] |image2 = [[File:Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction (ribbon).svg|border|110px]] [[File:Presidential Medal of Freedom (ribbon).svg|border|110px]] |caption2 = [[Service ribbon]]s of the award<br />(at left: Medal with Distinction) <!--the layout of this template assumes that 2nd photo belongs to "lower" award"--> }} The '''Presidential Medal of Freedom''' is the highest [[Civilian decorations of the United States|civilian award of the United States]], alongside the [[Congressional Gold Medal]]. It is an award bestowed by decision of the [[president of the United States]] to recognize people who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors." The award is not limited to U.S. citizens, and, while it is a [[civilian]] award, it can also be awarded to [[military]] personnel and worn on the [[military uniform|uniform]]. It was established in 1963 by President [[John F. Kennedy]], superseding the [[Medal of Freedom (1945)|Medal of Freedom]] that was initially established by President [[Harry S. Truman]] in 1945 to honor civilian service. Occasionally, the medal award is further denoted as, "with distinction". There are no specific criteria for receiving the award with distinction; {{Executive Order|11085}} simply specifies that the award should come in two degrees, and hence any decision to award the higher degree is entirely at the discretion of the president. In 2017, President [[Barack Obama]] stated that receiving the award with distinction indicates "an additional level of veneration"<ref>{{cite news |date=2017-01-13 |title=The Internet's Teary Reactions To Obama And Biden's Last Public Display Of Bromance |url=http://www.esquire.co.uk/culture/news/a12471/reactions-obama-biden-medal-civilian-president-bromance-politics/ |access-date=2022-07-27 |magazine=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]] |language=en-GB |archive-date=2017-01-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116002907/http://www.esquire.co.uk/culture/news/a12471/reactions-obama-biden-medal-civilian-president-bromance-politics/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> in a class of individuals already held in the highest esteem. {{As of|January 2022}}, 26 people have been awarded the medal with distinction, amounting to approximately 4% of all awards. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the supreme civilian decoration that can be awarded in discretion of the president, whereas its predecessor, the Medal of Freedom, was inferior in precedence to the [[Medal for Merit]]; the Medal of Freedom was awarded by any of three [[United States Cabinet|Cabinet]] secretaries, whereas the Medal for Merit was awarded by the president, as is the Presidential Medal of Freedom.<ref name="senate.gov">{{cite web| url=https://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/two_column_table/Presidential_Medal_of_Freedom_Recipients.htm| website=U.S. Senate| title=Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients| date=November 17, 2015| access-date=May 6, 2016| archive-date=July 14, 2004| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040714130038/http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/two_column_table/Presidential_Medal_of_Freedom_Recipients.htm| url-status=dead}}</ref> ==Overview== President [[John F. Kennedy]] established the presidential version of the decoration in 1963 through {{Executive Order|11085}} (signed February 22, 1963), with unique and distinctive insignia, vastly expanded purpose, and far higher prestige.<ref name="Executive Order 11085"/><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/Research-Aids/Ready-Reference/JFK-Fast-Facts/Presidential-Medal-of-Freedom.aspx| title=President Kennedy's Executive Order 11085: Presidential Medal of Freedom| website=John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum| access-date=August 29, 2017}}</ref> It was the first U.S. civilian [[neck order|neck decoration]] and, if awarded with Distinction, is the only U.S. sash and star decoration (the Chief Commander degree of the [[Legion of Merit]]—which may only be awarded to foreign heads of state—is a star decoration but without a sash). The executive order calls for the medal to be awarded annually on or around July 4, and at other convenient times as chosen by the president,<ref name="senate.gov"/> but it has not been awarded every year (e.g., 2001, 2010). Recipients are selected personally by the president, either on the president's own initiative or based on recommendations. The order establishing the medal also expanded the size and the responsibilities of the [[Distinguished Civilian Service Awards Board]] so it could serve as a major source of such recommendations. [[Marian Anderson]] and [[Ralph Bunche]] received the first Medals of Freedom from President John F. Kennedy on July 4, 1963. The medal may be awarded to an individual more than once; [[Colin Powell]] received two awards, his second being with Distinction;<ref>{{cite web |last=Clinton |first=W. J. |author-link=Bill Clinton |date=September 30, 1993 |title=Remarks on the Retirement of General Colin Powell in Arlington, Virginia |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-the-retirement-general-colin-powell-arlington-virginia |access-date=July 5, 2023 |website=The American Presidency Project; [[University of California, Santa Barbara]] |quote=In recognition of your legacy and service, of your courage and accomplishment, today, General Powell, I was honored to present you with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, with distinction. I want to tell all those here in attendance that this was the second Medal of Freedom you have received, the first from President Bush in 1991. And today, you became only the second American citizen in the history of the Republic to be the recipient of two Medals of Freedom.}}</ref> [[Ellsworth Bunker]] received both of his awards with Distinction. It may also be awarded posthumously; examples include [[John F. Kennedy]], [[Steve Jobs]], [[Pope John XXIII]], [[Lyndon Johnson]], [[John Wayne]], [[Bear Bryant|Paul "Bear" Bryant]], [[Thurgood Marshall]], [[Cesar Chavez]], [[Walter Reuther]], [[Roberto Clemente]], [[Jack Kemp]], [[Harvey Milk]], [[James Chaney]], [[Andrew Goodman (activist)|Andrew Goodman]], [[Michael Schwerner]], [[Elouise Cobell]], [[Grace Hopper]],<ref name=twentysixteen>{{cite press release| url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/11/16/president-obama-names-recipients-presidential-medal-freedom/| title=President Obama Names Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom| publisher=The White House| access-date=August 19, 2023| via=[[National Archives and Records Administration]]| date=November 16, 2016}}</ref> [[Antonin Scalia]], [[Elvis Presley]] and [[Babe Ruth]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/10/politics/trump-presidential-medal-of-freedom/index.html| title=Trump to award Medal of Freedom to Elvis, Babe Ruth, among others| last=Stracqualursi| first=Veronica| work=[[CNN]]| access-date=November 11, 2018}}</ref> (Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner, civil rights workers murdered in 1964, were awarded their medals in 2014, 50 years later.) Athlete and activist [[Simone Biles]] is the youngest person to receive this award at the age of 25.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/simone-biles-awarded-presidential-medal-freedom/story?id=86370058#:~:text=At%2025%2C%20Biles%20made%20history,the%20White%20House%20on%20Thursday.| title=Simone Biles awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom| work=[[ABC News]]| first=Katie| last=Kindelan| date=July 7, 2022| access-date=August 19, 2023}}</ref> ==Insignia== [[File:presidential-medal-of-freedom.jpg|thumb|170px|Medal and accoutrements, including the [[service ribbon]], miniature and lapel badge]] [[File:PMOFwD1.jpg|thumb|170px|The Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction,<br/>as worn with [[white tie]]]] The badge of the Presidential Medal of Freedom is in the form of a golden star with white [[Vitreous enamel|enamel]], with a red enamel [[pentagon]] behind it; the central disc bears thirteen gold stars on a blue enamel background (taken from the [[Great Seal of the United States]]) within a golden ring. Golden [[bald eagle]]s with spread wings stand between the points of the star. It is worn around the neck on a blue ribbon having white edge stripes. Women may choose to receive the award as a bow worn on the left chest (as for [[Margaret Thatcher]]). A special and rarely granted award, called the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction,<ref>{{cite book| last1=Torreon| first1=Barbara Salazar| title=A Guide to Major Congressional and Presidential Awards| volume=RS20884| publisher=Library of Congress; Congressional Research Service| date=March 31, 2004| page=4| url=http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/crs/rs20884.pdf| access-date=February 9, 2011| quote=There are two degrees of the Medal, the higher being the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction.| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111010080016/http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/crs/rs20884.pdf| archive-date=October 10, 2011| url-status=dead}}</ref> has a larger version of the same badge, which is worn as a star on the left chest. It comes with a sash that is worn over the right shoulder (similarly to the [[Grand Cross]] of an [[order of chivalry]]), with its [[Rosette (decoration)|rosette]] (blue with a white edge, bearing the central disc of the badge at its center) resting on the left hip. When the medal with Distinction is awarded, the star may be presented hanging from a neck ribbon and can be identified by its size, which is larger than the standard badge. In addition to the full-size insignia, the award is accompanied by a [[service ribbon]] for wear on military service uniform, a miniature medal pendant for wear on [[mess dress]] or civilian [[formal wear]], and a [[lapel pin|lapel badge]] for wear on civilian clothes, all of which comes in the full presentation set. There is a silver bald eagle with spread wings on the miniature and service ribbon, or a golden bald eagle for a medal awarded with Distinction. The Insignia was designed by the Army's Institute of Heraldry, led by Col. Harry Downing Temple.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaxtf/view?docId=oai/lib.vt.edu/repositories/2/resources/1545.oai_ead.xml#aspace_d714dc5b8900bc8cd1494fb1bba862d9.1| title=Harry Downing Temple Jr., Papers, 1872-2004 MS.1988.039| last=Gouger| first=Sarah| date=1998| website=Virginia Tech Special Collections Library| access-date=2023-01-17| archive-date=2023-01-17| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117040403/https://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaxtf/view?docId=oai/lib.vt.edu/repositories/2/resources/1545.oai_ead.xml#aspace_d714dc5b8900bc8cd1494fb1bba862d9.1| url-status=dead}}</ref> ==Revocation== There is no process for the award to be revoked. This issue has been raised regarding certain recipients, in particular regarding the award given to actor and comedian [[Bill Cosby]].<ref>{{cite news| date=January 7, 2016| title=Congressmen push to strip Bill Cosby of presidential medal of freedom| url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/07/bill-cosby-presidential-medal-of-freedom-congress-obama| access-date=August 19, 2023| newspaper=[[The Guardian]]| location=[[London]]| first=David| last=Smith| language=en}}</ref> ==Recipients== {{main|List of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients}} === Gallery=== <gallery mode="packed" heights="125"> File:A. Philip Randolph Medal of Freedom.jpg|[[A. Philip Randolph]] receiving the Medal from President [[Lyndon Johnson]] at one of the first ceremonies, 1964 File:Richard Nixon and Duke Ellington 1969.jpg|President [[Richard Nixon]] presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to [[Duke Ellington]], 1969 File:President Gerald R. Ford Presents Martha Graham with the Presidential Medal of Freedom - NARA - 6829647.jpg|President [[Gerald Ford]] awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction to [[Martha Graham]], 1976 File:Jimmy Carter presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Arthur Goldberg. - NARA - 180483.tif|[[Arthur Goldberg]] speaking at his ceremony where he was awarded the Medal by President [[Jimmy Carter]], 1978 File:President Ronald Reagan presents Mother Teresa with the Medal of Freedom at a White House Ceremony in the Rose Garden.jpg|President [[Ronald Reagan]] presenting [[Mother Teresa]] with the award, 1985 File:Margaret Thatcher awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom.jpg|Former United Kingdom Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]] receiving the award, in its unusual bow form, from President [[George H. W. Bush]], 1991 File:President Bill Clinton presents Rosa Parks with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the Oval Office.jpg|[[Rosa Parks]] receives the award from President [[Bill Clinton]], 1996 File:President George W. Bush Presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award to Fred Rogers.jpg|[[Fred Rogers]] smiles as he receives the award from President [[George W. Bush]], 2002 File:https://abcnews.go.com/video/embed?id=20951783 [[President Barack Obama awards country music legend Loretta Lynn with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington.]] File:Joe Biden Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom.jpg|President [[Barack Obama]] awards the medal with Distinction to then-Vice President [[Joe Biden]], 2017. Biden later became the first president to receive the award before assuming office. File:President Trump Presents the Medal of Freedom to Tiger Woods (33919289198).jpg|President [[Donald Trump]] presents the Medal to [[Tiger Woods]], 2019 File:P20220707AS-1273 (52308684538).jpg|President [[Joe Biden]] presenting the Medal to [[Simone Biles]], 2022 </gallery> ==See also== * [[Awards and decorations of the United States government]] * [[Awards and decorations of the United States military]] ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{Commons category|Presidential Medal of Freedom|<br/>Presidential Medal of Freedom}} * [http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical+Resources/Archives/Reference+Desk/Presidential+Medal+of+Freedom.htm "Presidential Medal of Freedom"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090816212455/http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical+Resources/Archives/Reference+Desk/Presidential+Medal+of+Freedom.htm |date=2009-08-16 }}, an article (undated) from the [[John F. Kennedy Library|John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum]]'s official website. Accessed August 22, 2009. * [https://web.archive.org/web/20170709124451/https://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/two_column_table/Presidential_Medal_of_Freedom_Recipients.htm "Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients"], a list of recipients from May 5, 1993, through August 19, 2009, from the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]] official website. Accessed August 22, 2009. * [https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/12/20061215-1.html# "President Bush Honors Medal of Freedom Recipients"], a [[news release]] from the [[White House Press Secretary]], December 15, 2006, containing a [[Transcript (law)|transcript]] of President [[George W. Bush]]'s opening remarks at the December 15, 2006, presentation (with link to individual [[citation]]s). Hosted on the U.S. [[National Archives and Records Administration]]'s official website. Accessed August 22, 2009. * [https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the_press_office/Background-on-Medal-of-Freedom-ceremony "Medal of Freedom Ceremony" (August 12, 2009)], a [[news release]], August 12, 2009, from the [[White House Press Secretary]] at [http://www.whitehouse.gov whitehouse.gov], the [[White House]]'s official website. Accessed August 22, 2009. * [[David E. Sanger|Sanger, David E.]] (December 15, 2004). [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06E5DE1730F936A25751C1A9629C8B63&pagewanted=all "War Figures Honored With Medal of Freedom"]. ''The New York Times''. {{John F. Kennedy|state=collapsed}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Presidential Medal Of Freedom}} [[Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients| ]] [[Category:Awards established in 1960]] [[Category:Civil awards and decorations of the United States]] [[Category:Presidency of the United States]] [[Category:Presidency of John F. 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