Presidential Medal of Freedom 2024: List of Honorees
United States President Joe Biden will present the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honour, to 19 individuals from various fields. The list includes 10 men and nine women who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States and beyond.
Recipients:
- Michael Bloomberg – Former New York City Mayor and founder of a successful financial services company.
- Gregory Boyle – Jesuit Catholic priest and founder of Homeboy Industries.
- James Clyburn – Representative from South Carolina and former Assistant Democratic Leader.
- Elizabeth Dole – Former Republican Senator and president of the American Red Cross.
- Phil Donahue – Influential journalist and talk show host.
- Medgar Wiley Evers (posthumous) – Civil rights activist who fought against segregation.
- Al Gore – Former Vice President and environmental activist.
- Clarence Jones – Civil rights activist who helped draft Martin Luther King Jr’s iconic speech.
- John Kerry – Former Senator and Secretary of State.
- Frank Lautenberg (posthumous) – Longest-serving Senator from New Jersey.
- Kathleen Ledecky – Olympic swimmer with numerous gold medals.
- Opal Lee – Activist known for advocating Juneteenth as a federal holiday.
- Ellen Ochoa – First Hispanic woman in space and former NASA director.
- Nancy Pelosi – Former House Speaker and long-time representative from San Francisco.
- Jane Rigby – Chief scientist of a powerful telescope.
- Teresa Romero – President of the United Farm Workers and first Hispanic woman to lead a national union.
- Judy Shepard – Co-founder of an organization against hate crimes.
- James Thorpe (posthumous) – First Native American Olympic gold medalist.
- Michelle Yeoh – Renowned actress and Academy Award winner.
