Other recipients on the list of 19 honorees include soccer star Lionel Messi, basketball legend Magic Johnson, chef José Andrés, and Anna Wintour.
“President Biden believes great leaders keep the faith, give everyone a fair shot, and put decency above all else. These 19 Americans are great leaders who have made America a better place. They are great leaders because they are good people who have made extraordinary contributions to their country and the world,” said a statement from the White House.
A bit of history on the honor: President Harry S. Truman first created the award in 1945, as the ‘Medal of Freedom.’ The medal was renamed by President John F. Kennedy in 1963 to its current name: the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It comes in two degrees, as the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the most prestigious of the honors, Presidential Medal of Freedom “with distinction.” It is bestowed by the current sitting president.
A formal nomination and selection process for recipients doesn’t exist, but the President has power under an executive order to award the medal to “any person recommended to the President for award of the Medal or any person selected by the President upon his own initiative.” Selections usually reflect a President’s interests, both political and personal—across politics, the arts, and activism, for example. Members of Congress can and have sent nomination suggestions.
The physical medal itself is a white star over a red pentagon, ringed by five golden eagles. At the star’s center is a blue circle with 13 gold stars.
Previous honorees are varied. Last year, President Biden awarded Michelle Yeoh for an expansive, four decades-long film career, recognizing her achievement as the first Asian person to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. Other former recipients include Steven Spielberg, Muhammad Ali, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Athlete and activist Simone Biles remains the youngest person to ever receive this award at age 25 in 2022.
After this year’s awards, Biden will have honored 56 people, clocking in the most ever given during a single presidential term.
The ceremony will take place today at the White House, January 4, with more updates to come.
