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Presidential Medal of Freedom facts for kids

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"Medal of Freedom" redirects here. For other uses, see Medal of Freedom (disambiguation).
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Presidential Medal of Freedom
Presidential Medal of Freedom.svg
The award's miniature medal
Country United States
Type Civilian award
Awarded for Any reason as determined by the president
Precedence
Next (higher) None
Equivalent Congressional Gold Medal
Next (lower) Presidential Citizens Medal
Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction (ribbon).svg Presidential Medal of Freedom (ribbon).svg
Service ribbons of the award
(at left: Medal with Distinction)

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest award a civilian can receive in the United States. It is given by the president of the United States. This special medal honors people who have made amazing contributions. These contributions can be to the safety or interests of the U.S., to world peace, or to important cultural and public efforts.

This award is not just for U.S. citizens. It can also be given to people from other countries. Even though it's a civilian award, military members can also receive it. They can even wear it on their uniform. President John F. Kennedy started this medal in 1963. It replaced an older award called the Medal of Freedom, which was created in 1945.

Sometimes, the medal is given "with distinction." This means it's an even higher honor. There are no strict rules for getting it with distinction. It's completely up to the president's choice. As of August 2025, the medal has been awarded with distinction at least 55 times. This is about 8% of all the awards given.

What is the Medal?

President John F. Kennedy created the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963. He did this with a special order called Executive Order 11085. This new medal had a unique design and a much higher level of importance. It was the first U.S. civilian award worn around the neck. If given "with Distinction," it's the only U.S. award that includes a sash and a star.

The medal is often awarded around July 4th, which is Independence Day in the U.S. However, it's also given at other times chosen by the president. The process for choosing recipients is not usually made public. But it includes suggestions from the public, government officials, and White House staff. These suggestions are then carefully checked before being presented to the president.

A person can receive the medal more than once. For example, Colin Powell received it twice. The medal can also be given after a person has passed away. Famous people who received it posthumously include John F. Kennedy, Steve Jobs, Pope John XXIII, and Elvis Presley. In 1970, President Richard Nixon even gave the medal to the entire team behind the Apollo 13 space mission.

Simone Biles, a famous athlete and activist, is the youngest person to receive this award. She was 25 years old when she got it.

How the Medal Looks

Presidential-medal-of-freedom
Medal and its parts, including the service ribbon, miniature, and lapel badge
Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction white tie
The Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, worn with formal clothes

The medal itself is a golden star with white enamel. Behind it is a red enamel five-sided shape. In the middle of the star, there are thirteen gold stars on a blue background. This design comes from the Great Seal of the United States. Golden bald eagles are placed between the points of the star. The medal is worn around the neck on a blue ribbon with white stripes on the edges. Women can choose to wear the award as a bow on their left chest.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction is a larger version of the medal. It is worn as a star on the left side of the chest. It also comes with a sash that goes over the right shoulder. A special rosette (a small, round decoration) rests on the left hip. When the medal with Distinction is given, the star can also hang from a neck ribbon. You can tell it's the "with Distinction" version because it's larger than the regular medal.

Along with the main medal, recipients also get a smaller version. This includes a service ribbon for military uniforms and a tiny medal for formal wear. There's also a lapel badge for everyday clothes. The miniature medal and service ribbon have a silver bald eagle. If the medal is awarded with Distinction, the eagle is golden.

The design of the medal was created by the Army's Institute of Heraldry.

Can the Medal Be Taken Back?

There is no official process to take back the Presidential Medal of Freedom once it has been awarded.

Recipients

Main article: List of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients

Gallery

Interesting Facts About the Medal

  • Marian Anderson and Ralph Bunche were the first to receive the Medals of Freedom. President John F. Kennedy gave them the awards on July 4, 1963.
  • A person can receive the medal more than once. It can also be given to someone after they have passed away.
  • Athlete and activist Simone Biles is the youngest person to receive this award. She was 25 years old.
  • Once given, the award cannot be taken back.
  • Women can choose to receive the award as a bow worn on the left chest. Margaret Thatcher received it this way.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Medalla Presidencial de la Libertad para niños

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