List of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients facts for kids
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is a very important award given by the president of the United States. It's given to people who have made amazing contributions to the security or national interests of the U.S., to world peace, or to cultural or other important public or private efforts. It's one of the highest honors a civilian can receive in the United States.
Contents
- History of the Medal
- List of Medal Recipients
- Awarded by John F. Kennedy
- Awarded by Lyndon B. Johnson
- Awarded by Richard Nixon
- Awarded by Gerald Ford
- Awarded by Jimmy Carter
- Awarded by Ronald Reagan
- Awarded by George H. W. Bush
- Awarded by Bill Clinton
- Awarded by George W. Bush
- Awarded by Barack Obama
- Awarded by Donald Trump (first presidency)
- Awarded by Joe Biden
- See also
History of the Medal
The Presidential Medal of Freedom was first created by President John F. Kennedy. Usually, the president who chooses someone for the medal is the one who gives it to them. However, the first people chosen by President Kennedy received their medals from President Lyndon B. Johnson after Kennedy's passing.
President Barack Obama has given out the most medals, with 118 awards. President Bill Clinton is next, having awarded 89 medals. Two people, Ellsworth Bunker and Colin Powell, have received the medal twice.
Eight U.S. Presidents have also received this medal themselves:
- John F. Kennedy (1963, after his passing)
- Lyndon B. Johnson (1980, after his passing)
- Ronald Reagan (1993, with special honor)
- Gerald Ford (1999)
- Jimmy Carter (1999)
- George H. W. Bush (2011)
- Bill Clinton (2013)
- Joe Biden (2017, when he was Vice President; with special honor)
In 2022, at just 25 years old, athlete and activist Simone Biles became the youngest person ever to receive the award.
Turning Down the Award
Sometimes, people choose not to accept the medal. For example, Bill Belichick, a famous football coach, was offered the medal by President Donald Trump. He first said yes, but then changed his mind and turned it down.
Country music star Dolly Parton also turned down the medal twice from Donald Trump. She explained that the first time was because her husband was ill, and the second time was due to the global pandemic.
What "With Distinction" Means
The Presidential Medal of Freedom can sometimes be given "with Distinction." This means the award is given for truly extraordinary achievements. It's a special way to recognize someone's incredible impact.
As of July 17, 2025, 27 individuals have received the Presidential Medal of Freedom (with Distinction). Ellsworth Bunker received it twice, making a total of 28 awards with this special honor.
Some people who received the medal "with Distinction" include:
- Ralph Bunche (1963) – A political scientist and the first person of African descent to win a Nobel Prize.
- Neil Armstrong (1969) – The first person to walk on the Moon.
- Martha Graham (1976) – A famous modern dancer and choreographer.
- Ronald Reagan (1993) – The 40th President of the United States.
- Colin Powell (1993) – A military general and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- Pope John Paul II (2004) – The head of the Catholic Church.
- Joe Biden (2017) – The 47th Vice President of the United States.
- Pope Francis (2025) – The head of the Catholic Church.
List of Medal Recipients
Here is a list of some notable people who have received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
- † – Awarded after their passing
- WD – Awarded "with Distinction"
Awarded by John F. Kennedy
President John F. Kennedy chose 31 people to receive the medal in 1963. After his passing, President Lyndon B. Johnson officially presented these awards.
| Recipient | Year | Notes | Notable as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marian Anderson | 1963 | Famous singer (contralto) and the first African-American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera | |
| Ralph Bunche | WD | Political scientist and the first person of African descent to receive a Nobel Prize | |
| Pablo Casals | World-renowned cellist | ||
| Felix Frankfurter | WD | Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States | |
| Jean Monnet | WD | An important figure in the creation of the European Union |
Awarded by Lyndon B. Johnson
President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded 58 medals between 1963 and 1969, in addition to the 31 chosen by President Kennedy.
| Recipient | Year | Notes | Notable as |
|---|---|---|---|
| John XXIII | 1963 | † | Head of the Catholic Church |
| John F. Kennedy | † | 35th President of the United States | |
| Walt Disney | 1964 | Co-founder of The Walt Disney Company | |
| Helen Keller | Disability rights advocate and human rights activist | ||
| Edward R. Murrow | WD | Famous broadcast journalist and World War II correspondent | |
| Leontyne Price | Soprano singer and the first African-American soprano to gain international fame | ||
| A. Philip Randolph | Founder and president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters |
Awarded by Richard Nixon
President Richard Nixon awarded 28 medals between 1969 and 1974.
| Recipient | Year | Notes | Notable as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buzz Aldrin | 1969 | WD | Astronaut and Apollo 11 crew member |
| Neil Armstrong | WD | Astronaut and the first person to walk on the Moon | |
| Michael Collins | WD | Astronaut and Apollo 11 crew member | |
| Duke Ellington | 1969 | Legendary Jazz Pianist and composer | |
| W. Averell Harriman | WD | Former Governor of New York and United States Secretary of Commerce |
Awarded by Gerald Ford
President Gerald Ford awarded 28 medals between 1974 and 1977.
| Recipient | Year | Notes | Notable as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martha Graham | 1976 | WD | Pioneering modern dancer and choreographer |
| Jesse Owens | Olympic track and field athlete | ||
| Arthur Rubinstein | WD | World-famous classical pianist | |
| Donald Rumsfeld | WD | Former United States Secretary of Defense | |
| Joe DiMaggio | 1977 | Legendary professional baseball player | |
| Lady Bird Johnson | First Lady of the United States | ||
| Georgia O'Keeffe | Famous American modernist artist and painter |
Awarded by Jimmy Carter
President Jimmy Carter awarded 34 medals between 1977 and 1981.
| Recipient | Year | Notes | Notable as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther King Jr. | 1977 | † | Prominent leader in the Civil Rights Movement |
| Jonas Salk | Virologist and developer of the Polio Vaccine | ||
| Ansel Adams | 1980 | Famous landscape photographer and environmentalist | |
| Rachel Carson | † | Marine biologist and leader in the global environmental movement | |
| Lyndon B. Johnson | † | 36th President of the United States | |
| Beverly Sills | Renowned operatic soprano | ||
| John Wayne | † | Iconic actor |
Awarded by Ronald Reagan
President Ronald Reagan awarded 86 medals between 1981 and 1989.
| Recipient | Year | Notes | Notable as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billy Graham | 1983 | Famous evangelist and minister | |
| James Burnham | Political theorist and leader of the American Conservative Movement | ||
| Buckminster Fuller | Architect, inventor, and futurist | ||
| James Cagney | 1984 | Actor and dancer | |
| Jackie Robinson | † | Professional baseball player and civil rights advocate | |
| Anwar el-Sadat | † | 3rd President of Egypt | |
| Eunice Kennedy Shriver | Philanthropist and founder of the Special Olympics | ||
| Jacques Cousteau | 1985 | French naval officer, oceanographer, and co-inventor of the Aqua-Lung | |
| Frank Sinatra | Legendary singer and actor | ||
| Mother Teresa | Catholic nun, humanitarian, and founder of the Missionaries of Charity | ||
| Chuck Yeager | U.S. Air Force officer and the first confirmed pilot to exceed the Speed of Sound |
Awarded by George H. W. Bush
President George H. W. Bush awarded 38 medals between 1989 and 1993.
| Recipient | Year | Notes | Notable as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucille Ball | 1989 | † | Actress, comedian, and producer |
| Jimmy Doolittle | Military general and commander of the Doolittle Raid | ||
| Lech Wałęsa | Chairman of the Solidarity movement in Poland | ||
| Dick Cheney | 1991 | Former United States Secretary of Defense and future Vice President | |
| Betty Ford | First Lady of the United States | ||
| Colin Powell | 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff | ||
| Margaret Thatcher | Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom | ||
| Johnny Carson | 1992 | Popular television host | |
| Ella Fitzgerald | Legendary jazz singer | ||
| Audrey Hepburn | Actress and humanitarian | ||
| Ronald Reagan | 1993 | WD | 40th President of the United States |
Awarded by Bill Clinton
President Bill Clinton awarded 89 medals between 1993 and 2001.
| Recipient | Year | Notes | Notable as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Ashe | 1993 | † | Professional tennis player |
| Thurgood Marshall | † | First African-American Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States | |
| Colin Powell | WD | 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff | |
| Cesar Chavez | 1994 | † | Labor leader and civil rights activist |
| Dorothy Height | Civil rights and women's rights activist | ||
| Barbara Jordan | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| C. Everett Koop | 1995 | 13th Surgeon General of the United States | |
| Walter Reuther | † | President of the United Automobile Workers union | |
| Rosa Parks | 1996 | Civil rights activist | |
| Jimmy Carter | 1999 | 39th President of the United States and humanitarian | |
| Rosalynn Carter | First Lady of the United States and humanitarian | ||
| Gerald Ford | 38th President of the United States | ||
| Jesse Jackson | 2000 | Political activist and civil rights leader | |
| Aung San Suu Kyi | General Secretary of the National League for Democracy |
Awarded by George W. Bush
President George W. Bush awarded 82 medals between 2001 and 2009.
| Recipient | Year | Notes | Notable as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hank Aaron | 2002 | Professional baseball player | |
| Nelson Mandela | Anti-apartheid activist and President of South Africa | ||
| Nancy Reagan | First Lady of the United States | ||
| Fred Rogers | Beloved television host and Presbyterian minister | ||
| Julia Child | 2003 | Cooking teacher and television personality | |
| Roberto Clemente | † | Professional baseball player | |
| Charlton Heston | Actor and political activist | ||
| John Paul II | 2004 | WD | Head of the Catholic Church |
| Rita Moreno | Actress, dancer, and singer | ||
| Arnold Palmer | Professional golfer | ||
| Muhammad Ali | 2005 | Professional boxer and human rights activist | |
| Aretha Franklin | Singer-songwriter and pianist | ||
| Jack Nicklaus | Professional golfer | ||
| B.B. King | 2006 | Legendary blues singer-songwriter | |
| Harper Lee | 2007 | Novelist and civil rights activist | |
| Anthony Fauci | 2008 | Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases |
Awarded by Barack Obama
President Barack Obama awarded 118 medals between 2009 and 2017.
| Recipient | Year | Notes | Notable as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Hawking | 2009 | Theoretical physicist | |
| Ted Kennedy | United States Senator from Massachusetts | ||
| Billie Jean King | Professional tennis player and gender equality advocate | ||
| Sandra Day O'Connor | First female Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court | ||
| Sidney Poitier | Actor and the first African-American to win an Academy Award | ||
| Maya Angelou | 2011 | Poet and civil rights activist | |
| George H. W. Bush | 41st President of the United States | ||
| John Lewis | Civil rights activist and member of the U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Angela Merkel | Chancellor of Germany | ||
| Bob Dylan | 2012 | Singer-songwriter | |
| John Glenn | Astronaut and United States Senator | ||
| Toni Morrison | Novelist and civil rights activist | ||
| Bill Clinton | 2013 | 42nd President of the United States | |
| Sally Ride | † | Astronaut and physicist | |
| Gloria Steinem | Journalist and social political activist | ||
| Oprah Winfrey | Talk show host, actress, and philanthropist | ||
| Meryl Streep | 2014 | Actress | |
| Stevie Wonder | Singer-songwriter | ||
| Steven Spielberg | 2015 | Director, producer, and screenwriter | |
| Katherine Johnson | Mathematician whose calculations were crucial for early U.S. crewed spaceflights | ||
| Willie Mays | Professional baseball player | ||
| Robert De Niro | 2016 | Actor and producer | |
| Tom Hanks | Actor | ||
| Ellen DeGeneres | Comedian, television host, and gay rights activist | ||
| Bill Gates | Philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft | ||
| Michael Jordan | Professional basketball player | ||
| Joe Biden | 2017 | WD | 47th Vice President of the United States |
Awarded by Donald Trump (first presidency)
President Donald Trump awarded 24 medals between 2017 and 2021.
| Recipient | Year | Notes | Notable as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elvis Presley | 2018 | † | Singer and actor known as the "King of Rock and Roll" |
| Babe Ruth | † | Legendary professional baseball player | |
| Antonin Scalia | † | Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States | |
| Tiger Woods | 2019 | Professional golfer |
Awarded by Joe Biden
President Joe Biden awarded 57 medals between 2022 and 2025.
| Recipient | Year | Notes | Notable as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simone Biles | 2022 | Olympic gymnast | |
| Steve Jobs | † | Entrepreneur and co-founder of Apple | |
| John McCain | † | United States Senator from Arizona and Purple Heart recipient | |
| Megan Rapinoe | Olympic professional soccer player and human rights activist | ||
| Michael Bloomberg | 2024 | Entrepreneur, philanthropist, and former Mayor of New York City | |
| Al Gore | 45th Vice President of the United States and environmentalist | ||
| Katie Ledecky | Olympic swimmer | ||
| Nancy Pelosi | 52nd and first female Speaker of the United States House of Representatives | ||
| Michelle Yeoh | Actress and activist, first person of Asian descent to win an Academy Award for Best Actress | ||
| Bono | 2025 | Frontman of U2 and activist against AIDS and poverty | |
| Hillary Clinton | Former First Lady, Senator, and Secretary of State | ||
| Michael J. Fox | Actor and advocate for Parkinson's disease research | ||
| Jane Goodall | Ethologist and conservationist | ||
| Magic Johnson | Professional basketball player | ||
| Lionel Messi | Professional soccer player | ||
| Bill Nye | Science communicator and TV presenter | ||
| Denzel Washington | Actor, producer, and director | ||
| Pope Francis | WD | Head of the Catholic Church |
See also
- List of Congressional Gold Medal recipients
