0.3 C
Washington
Wednesday, January 8, 2025

19 get Medal of Freedom, highest U.S. civilian honor

Washington19 get Medal of Freedom, highest U.S. civilian honor

WASHINGTON — Within the East Room of the White Home on a very frigid Saturday afternoon, President Joe Biden bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 19 of probably the most well-known names in politics, sports activities, leisure, civil rights, LGBTQ+ advocacy and science.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton aroused a standing ovation from the group as she acquired her medal. Clinton was accompanied to the occasion by her husband, former President Invoice Clinton; daughter Chelsea Clinton; and grandchildren. Democratic philanthropist George Soros and actor-director Denzel Washington had been additionally awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor in a White Home ceremony.

“For the final time as president, I have the honor bestowing the Medal of Freedom, our nation’s highest civilian honor, on a group of extraordinary, truly extraordinary people, who gave their sacred effort, their sacred effort, to shape the culture and the cause of America,” Biden stated in his opening remarks.

“Let me just say to each of you, thank you, thank you, thank you for all you’ve done to help this country,” Biden stated Saturday.

4 medals had been awarded posthumously. They went to George W. Romney, who served as each a Michigan governor and secretary of housing and concrete growth; former Lawyer Common and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy; Ash Carter, a former secretary of protection; and Fannie Lou Hamer, who based the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Social gathering and laid the groundwork for the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Kennedy is father to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for well being and human companies secretary. Biden stated, “Bobby is one of my true political heroes. I love and I miss him dearly.”

Romney is the daddy of former Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, one in all Trump’s strongest conservative critics.

Biden has days left within the White Home and has spent the previous couple of days issuing awards to army veterans, legislation enforcement officers and different People.

The White Home stated the Medal of Freedom recipients have made “exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.”

Philanthropists hailed

Main philanthropists receiving the award embrace Spanish American chef José Andrés, whose World Central Kitchen charity has grow to be one of many world’s most acknowledged meals reduction organizations; and Bono, the entrance man for rock band U2 and a social justice activist.

Sports activities and leisure stars acknowledged embrace skilled soccer participant Lionel Messi, who didn’t attend the occasion; retired Los Angeles Lakers basketball legend and businessman Earvin “Magic” Johnson; actor Michael J. Fox, who’s an outspoken advocate for Parkinson’s illness analysis and growth; and William Sanford Nye, identified to generations of scholars as “Bill Nye the Science Guy.”

Different awardees embrace conservationist Jane Goodall; longtime Vogue Journal editor-in-chief Anna Wintour; American designer Ralph Lauren; American Movie Institute founder George Stevens Jr.; entrepreneur and LGBTQ+ activist Tim Gill; and David Rubenstein, co-founder of The Carlyle Group world funding agency.

Lauren is the primary designer to obtain the consideration.

Final 12 months, Biden bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom on 19 folks.

Check out our other content

Check out other tags:

Most Popular Articles