Simone Biles, Denzel Washington, Gabrielle Giffords among Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients
ByCox Media Group National Content Desk
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Presidential Medal of Freedom: What you need to know The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award given by the President of the United States. (NCD)
ByCox Media Group National Content Desk
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has named seventeen recipients for the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
This year, the list includes both living and deceased honorees, including Simone Biles, the most decorated U.S. gymnast in history, the late John McCain, the Arizona Republican with whom Biden served in the U.S. Senate and Sandra Lindsay, the New York City nurse who was the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine dose, according to The Associated Press.
The honor is reserved for people who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace or other significant societal public or private endeavors, the White House said.
A week before former President Barack Obama left office in 2017, Biden received the medal for serving as U.S. senator and vice president.
The medals will be presented on July 7, 2022, at the White House.
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Simone Biles Simone Biles is the most decorated American gymnast in history, with a combined total of 32 Olympic and World Championship medals. Biles is also a prominent advocate for athletes’ mental health and safety, children in the foster care system, and victims of sexual assault. (Natacha Pisarenko/AP)
Simone Biles President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Simone Biles at the White House in Washington, Thursday, July 7, 2022. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
Gabrielle Giffords Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was the youngest woman ever elected to the Arizona State Senate, serving first in the Arizona legislature and later in the U.S. Congress. A survivor of gun violence, she co-founded Giffords, a nonprofit organization dedicated to gun violence prevention. (Alex Brandon/AP)
Gabrielle Giffords President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Gabrielle Giffords, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Giffords is a former member of the House of Representatives from Arizona, who was gravely wounded when she was shot in the head in January 2011 during a constituent event in Tucson. (Susan Walsh/AP)
Megan Rapinoe Megan Rapinoeis an Olympic gold medalist and two-time Women’s World Cup champion. She also captains OL Reign in the National Women’s Soccer League. She is a prominent advocate for gender pay equality, racial justice, and LGBTQI+ rights. (Rick Bowmer/AP)
Megan Rapinoe President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Megan Rapinoe at the White House in Washington, Thursday, July 7, 2022. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
Fred Gray Fred Gray was one of the first black members of the Alabama State legislature since Reconstruction. As an attorney, he represented Rosa Parks, the NAACP, and Martin Luther King, who called him “the chief counsel for the protest movement.” (Vasha Hunt/AP)
Fred Gray President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Fred Gray during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Gray is a prominent civil rights attorney who represented Rosa Parks, the NAACP and Martin Luther King Jr., who called Gray "the chief counsel for the protest movement." (Susan Walsh/AP)
Steve Jobs Steve Jobs (d. 2011) was the co-founder, chief executive, and chair of Apple, Inc., CEO of Pixar and held a leading role at the Walt Disney Company. His vision, imagination and creativity led to inventions that have, and continue to, change the way the world communicates, as well as transforming the computer, music, film and wireless industries. (Christophe Ena/AP)
Steve Jobs President Joe Biden posthumously awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Steve Jobs, the co-founder and CEO of Apple Inc., as his wife Laurene Powell Jobs accepts the award during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, July 7, 2022. (Susan Walsh/AP)
Diane Nash Diane Nash is a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee who organized some of the most important civil rights campaigns of the 20th century. Nash worked closely with Martin Luther King, who described her as the “driving spirit in the nonviolent assault on segregation at lunch counters.” (Leigh Vogel/Getty Images)
Diane Nash President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Diane Nash at the White House in Washington, Thursday, July 7, 2022. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
John McCain John McCain (d. 2018) was a public servant who was awarded a Purple Heart with one gold star for his service in the U.S. Navy in Vietnam. He also served the people of Arizona for decades in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate and was the Republican nominee for president in 2008. (Charles Dharapak/AP)
John McCain Cindy McCain accepts the Medal of Honor from President Joe Biden awarded to John McCain at the White House in Washington, Thursday, July 7, 2022. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
Wilma Vaught Brigadier General Wilma Vaughtis one of the most decorated women in the history of the U.S. military, repeatedly breaking gender barriers as she rose through the ranks. When she retired in 1985, she was one of only seven women generals in the Armed Forces. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
Wilma Vaught President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to retired Brig. Gen. Wilma Vaught at the White House in Washington, Thursday, July 7, 2022. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
Father Alexander Karloutsos Father Alexander Karloutsos is the former Vicar General of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. After over 50 years as a priest, providing counsel to several U.S. presidents, he was named by His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as a Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. (Monica Schipper/FilmMagic)
Father Alexander Karloutsos President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Father Alexander Karloutsos during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Karloutsos is the former Vicar General of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. After over 50 years as a priest, providing counsel to several U.S. presidents, he was named by His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as a Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. (Susan Walsh/AP)
Sister Simone Campbell Sister Simone Campbellis a member of the Sisters of Social Service and former Executive Director of NETWORK, a Catholic social justice organization. She is also a prominent advocate for economic justice, immigration reform, and healthcare policy. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
Sister Simone Campbell President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Sister Simone Campbell at the White House in Washington, Thursday, July 7, 2022. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
Khizr Khan Khizr Khanis a Gold Star father and founder of the Constitution Literacy and National Unity Center. He is a prominent advocate for the rule of law and religious freedom and served on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom under President Biden. (Seth Wenig/AP)
Khizr Khan President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Khizr Khan during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Khan, an immigrant from Pakistan whose son was killed in Iraq while serving in the U.S. Army, gained national prominence, and became a target of Donald Trump's wrath, after speaking at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. (Susan Walsh/AP)
Alan Simpson Alan Simpson served as a U.S. Senator from Wyoming for 18 years. During his public service, he has been a prominent advocate on issues including campaign finance reform, responsible governance, and marriage equality. (Evan Vucci/AP)
Alan Simpson President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to former Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson at the White House in Washington, Thursday, July 7, 2022. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
Sandra Lindsay Sandra Lindsayis a New York critical care nurse who served on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic response. She was the first American to receive a COVID-19 vaccine outside of clinical trials and is a prominent advocate for vaccines and mental health for health care workers. (Mark Lennihan/AP)
Raul Yzaguirre President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Raul Yzaguirre at the White House in Washington, Thursday, July 7, 2022. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
Julieta Garcia President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Julieta Garcia during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Garcia is a former president of the University of Texas at Brownsville, and the first Latina to become a college president. (Susan Walsh/AP)
Richard Trumka Richard Trumka (d. 2021)was president of the 12.5-million-member AFL-CIO for more than a decade, president of the United Mine Workers, and secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO. Throughout his career, he was an outspoken advocate for social and economic justice. (Alex Brandon/AP)
Denzel Washington Denzel Washington is an actor, director, and producer who has won two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, two Golden Globes, and the 2016 Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. He has also served as National Spokesman for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America for over 25 years. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Turner)
Biden to award Medal of Freedom This combination of file pictures created on July 01, 2022 shows (L-R, top)
US gymnast and 'The Original Award' honoree Simone Biles arriving for the sixth annual Instyle Awards in Los Angeles on November 15, 2021; US actor Denzel Washington attending the 94th Oscars in Hollywood on March 27, 2022; former Democratic US Representative Gabby Giffords speaking during the opening of the Gun Violence Memorial in Washington, DC, on June 07, 2022; US soccer player Megan Rapinoe arriving for the 2021 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New Yorkon September 13, 2021; Khizr Khan, a Goldstar father, speaking during a forum woth US House Democrats Washington, DC, on February 02, 2017; Apple CEO Steve Jobs introducing the iPhone 4 d in San Francisco on June 07, 2010; US Republican Senator from Arizona John McCain speaking at a press conference in Washington, DC, on March 07, 2011; AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka addressing the Economic Club of Washington in Washington, DC, on April 23, 2019. - The 8 are among 17 designated by US President Joe Biden on July 1, 2022,to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, three of them posthumous. The White House said the medal recognizes "exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors." (VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON – Today, President Biden named seventeen 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 exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.
President Biden has long said that America can be defined by one word: possibilities. These seventeen Americans demonstrate the power of possibilities and embody the soul of the nation – hard work, perseverance, and faith. They have overcome significant obstacles to achieve impressive accomplishments in the arts and sciences, dedicated their lives to advocating for the most vulnerable among us, and acted with bravery to drive change in their communities – and across the world – while blazing trails for generations to come.
The awards will be presented at the White House on July 7, 2022.
The following individuals will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom:
Simone Biles
Simone Biles is the most decorated American gymnast in history, with a combined total of 32 Olympic and World Championship medals. Biles is also a prominent advocate for athletes’ mental health and safety, children in the foster care system, and victims of sexual assault.
Sister Simone Campbell
Sister Simone Campbellis a member of the Sisters of Social Service and former Executive Director of NETWORK, a Catholic social justice organization. She is also a prominent advocate for economic justice, immigration reform, and healthcare policy.
Julieta García
Dr. Julieta García is the former president of The University of Texas at Brownsville, where she was named one of Time magazine’s best college presidents. Dr. García was the first Hispanic woman to serve as a college president and dedicated her career to serving students from the Southwest Border region.
Gabrielle Giffords
Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was the youngest woman ever elected to the Arizona State Senate, serving first in the Arizona legislature and later in the U.S. Congress. A survivor of gun violence, she co-founded Giffords, a nonprofit organization dedicated to gun violence prevention.
Fred Gray
Fred Gray was one of the first black members of the Alabama State legislature since Reconstruction. As an attorney, he represented Rosa Parks, the NAACP, and Martin Luther King, who called him “the chief counsel for the protest movement.”
Steve Jobs (posthumous)
Steve Jobs (d. 2011) was the co-founder, chief executive, and chair of Apple, Inc., CEO of Pixar and held a leading role at the Walt Disney Company. His vision, imagination and creativity led to inventions that have, and continue to, change the way the world communicates, as well as transforming the computer, music, film and wireless industries.
Father Alexander Karloutsos
Father Alexander Karloutsos is the former Vicar General of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. After over 50 years as a priest, providing counsel to several U.S. presidents, he was named by His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as a Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Khizr Khan
Khizr Khanis a Gold Star father and founder of the Constitution Literacy and National Unity Center. He is a prominent advocate for the rule of law and religious freedom and served on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom under President Biden.
Sandra Lindsay
Sandra Lindsayis a New York critical care nurse who served on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic response. She was the first American to receive a COVID-19 vaccine outside of clinical trials and is a prominent advocate for vaccines and mental health for health care workers.
John McCain (posthumous)
John McCain (d. 2018) was a public servant who was awarded a Purple Heart with one gold star for his service in the U.S. Navy in Vietnam. He also served the people of Arizona for decades in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate and was the Republican nominee for president in 2008.
Diane Nash
Diane Nash is a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee who organized some of the most important civil rights campaigns of the 20th century. Nash worked closely with Martin Luther King, who described her as the “driving spirit in the nonviolent assault on segregation at lunch counters.”
Megan Rapinoe
Megan Rapinoeis an Olympic gold medalist and two-time Women’s World Cup champion. She also captains OL Reign in the National Women’s Soccer League. She is a prominent advocate for gender pay equality, racial justice, and LGBTQI+ rights.
Alan Simpson
Alan Simpson served as a U.S. Senator from Wyoming for 18 years. During his public service, he has been a prominent advocate on issues including campaign finance reform, responsible governance, and marriage equality.
Richard Trumka (posthumous)
Richard Trumka (d. 2021)was president of the 12.5-million-member AFL-CIO for more than a decade, president of the United Mine Workers, and secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO. Throughout his career, he was an outspoken advocate for social and economic justice.
Wilma Vaught
Brigadier General Wilma Vaughtis one of the most decorated women in the history of the U.S. military, repeatedly breaking gender barriers as she rose through the ranks. When she retired in 1985, she was one of only seven women generals in the Armed Forces.
Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington is an actor, director, and producer who has won two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, two Golden Globes, and the 2016 Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. He has also served as National Spokesman for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America for over 25 years.
Raúl Yzaguirre
Raúl Yzaguirre is a civil rights advocate who served as CEO and president of National Council of La Raza for thirty years. He also served as U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic under President Barack Obama.
