The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award that is given out by the president. Its purpose is to recognize people that 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.” This medal was first awarded in 1963 and has 647 recipients. President Joe Biden of the United States gave out this medal to 17 people on July 7th. This medal is the highest civilian honor in the country.
Simone Biles and Megan Rapinoe were the only athletes that Biden gave this medal to. Simone Bile received this award for her great performance in athletics as well as for her public support of mental health services. Although many of her fans wanted to see her at the Tokyo Olympics possibly adding another medal to her collection, she had to withdraw from the competition due to her mental health. Simone is adding another medal to her huge collection. Megan Rapinoe received this medal because she is an important supporter for gender pay equality, racial fairness and LGBTQI+ rights. She is an Olympic gold medalist and will also add another medal to her collection of soccer awards.
Juliet V Garcia received this award because she was the first Latina to become a president of The University of Texas at Brownsville. She was named one of the best presidents by Time News.
Diane Nash and Raul Yzaguirre were the two human rights activists who received this medal this year. Nash organized some of the most important 20th century civil rights campaigns and worked Martin Luther King Jr. She also was one of the members who founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Yzaguirre is a civil rights advocate, and he was president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza for 30 years. La Raza was a Civil Rights Movement for Mexican Americans that was cultural and political. He was also U.S. ambassador to the Dominican Republic under President Obama.
President Biden nominated Sarah Lindsay, the first person to get a COVID-19 vaccine, to be one of the seventeen to have a medal of freedom. She is from New York City and is a nurse. She received the first dose out of clinical trials.
Denzel Washington another one of the nominees for this medal is an actor who has received two Oscars, two Golden Globes and the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a longtime representative for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He won Oscars for the movie Cry Freedom and Glory and won Golden Globes in Glory and The Hurricane.
Alexander Karloutsos and Simone Campbell were two nominees for this award that were impactful religious leaders. Karloutsos is the assistant to Archbishop Demetrios of America. The White House said Karloutsos has advocated several U.S. presidents. Simone Campbell is a Roman Catholic nun and an advocate for economic justice, fixing the U.S. immigration system and health care policy.
John McCain, Steve Jobs, and Richard Trumka were the three people who were awarded this medal although they are no longer living. John McCain fought for five years in Vietnam and was captured as a prisoner of war. Biden said McCain was a “dear friend” and “a hero.” Steve Jobs was a co-founder of Apple and an entrepreneur. He had died in 2011. Richard Trumka had been the president of the 12.5 million-member AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations which improves the lives of working people. He had been a member for more than ten years at the time of his August 2021 death.
Khizr Khan received this medal because he was the father of a marine who fought and died in the Iraq War. His son was Captain Humayun Khan.
Wilma Vaught is a retired American military leader. When she retired in 1985, she was one of only seven female generals in the Armed Forces. She received a medal as well and Biden stated that “She enlisted in the 1950s because she wanted to become a leader. She did that, and more, becoming the first woman in almost every leadership role she held in nearly 30 years in uniform.”
Gabrielle Giffords and Fred Gray are former Congressional representatives from Alabama and Arizona that received the Medal of Freedom. Giffords was shot in the head in January 2011 during a constituent event in Tucson and was terribly hurt. Gray was a state representative from Alabama. He was one of the first Black members of the Alabama Legislature after Reconstruction. Reconstruction was the period after the Civil War.
Finally, Alan Simpson was a retired U.S. senator from Wyoming who served with Biden and has been an advocate for campaign finance, responsible governance, and marriage equality. Simpson had also received a medal from President Biden.
Sources: https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/biden-awards-medal-freedom-biles-mccain-giffords-86399751
https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1656880259211x494198309205519740/Biden%20to%20award%20Medal%20of%20Freedom%20to%20Biles%2C%20McCain%2C%20Giffords%20-%20ABC%20News.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_Medal_of_Freedom#:~:text=The%20Presidential%20Medal%20of%20Freedom,significant%20public%20or%20private%20endeavors.%22
Simone Biles and Megan Rapinoe were the only athletes that Biden gave this medal to. Simone Bile received this award for her great performance in athletics as well as for her public support of mental health services. Although many of her fans wanted to see her at the Tokyo Olympics possibly adding another medal to her collection, she had to withdraw from the competition due to her mental health. Simone is adding another medal to her huge collection. Megan Rapinoe received this medal because she is an important supporter for gender pay equality, racial fairness and LGBTQI+ rights. She is an Olympic gold medalist and will also add another medal to her collection of soccer awards.
Juliet V Garcia received this award because she was the first Latina to become a president of The University of Texas at Brownsville. She was named one of the best presidents by Time News.
Diane Nash and Raul Yzaguirre were the two human rights activists who received this medal this year. Nash organized some of the most important 20th century civil rights campaigns and worked Martin Luther King Jr. She also was one of the members who founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Yzaguirre is a civil rights advocate, and he was president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza for 30 years. La Raza was a Civil Rights Movement for Mexican Americans that was cultural and political. He was also U.S. ambassador to the Dominican Republic under President Obama.
President Biden nominated Sarah Lindsay, the first person to get a COVID-19 vaccine, to be one of the seventeen to have a medal of freedom. She is from New York City and is a nurse. She received the first dose out of clinical trials.
Denzel Washington another one of the nominees for this medal is an actor who has received two Oscars, two Golden Globes and the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a longtime representative for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He won Oscars for the movie Cry Freedom and Glory and won Golden Globes in Glory and The Hurricane.
Alexander Karloutsos and Simone Campbell were two nominees for this award that were impactful religious leaders. Karloutsos is the assistant to Archbishop Demetrios of America. The White House said Karloutsos has advocated several U.S. presidents. Simone Campbell is a Roman Catholic nun and an advocate for economic justice, fixing the U.S. immigration system and health care policy.
John McCain, Steve Jobs, and Richard Trumka were the three people who were awarded this medal although they are no longer living. John McCain fought for five years in Vietnam and was captured as a prisoner of war. Biden said McCain was a “dear friend” and “a hero.” Steve Jobs was a co-founder of Apple and an entrepreneur. He had died in 2011. Richard Trumka had been the president of the 12.5 million-member AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations which improves the lives of working people. He had been a member for more than ten years at the time of his August 2021 death.
Khizr Khan received this medal because he was the father of a marine who fought and died in the Iraq War. His son was Captain Humayun Khan.
Wilma Vaught is a retired American military leader. When she retired in 1985, she was one of only seven female generals in the Armed Forces. She received a medal as well and Biden stated that “She enlisted in the 1950s because she wanted to become a leader. She did that, and more, becoming the first woman in almost every leadership role she held in nearly 30 years in uniform.”
Gabrielle Giffords and Fred Gray are former Congressional representatives from Alabama and Arizona that received the Medal of Freedom. Giffords was shot in the head in January 2011 during a constituent event in Tucson and was terribly hurt. Gray was a state representative from Alabama. He was one of the first Black members of the Alabama Legislature after Reconstruction. Reconstruction was the period after the Civil War.
Finally, Alan Simpson was a retired U.S. senator from Wyoming who served with Biden and has been an advocate for campaign finance, responsible governance, and marriage equality. Simpson had also received a medal from President Biden.
Sources: https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/biden-awards-medal-freedom-biles-mccain-giffords-86399751
https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1656880259211x494198309205519740/Biden%20to%20award%20Medal%20of%20Freedom%20to%20Biles%2C%20McCain%2C%20Giffords%20-%20ABC%20News.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_Medal_of_Freedom#:~:text=The%20Presidential%20Medal%20of%20Freedom,significant%20public%20or%20private%20endeavors.%22
