Biden to award Presidential Medal of Freedom to prominent Democrats at White House

President Joe Biden will present the country’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), former Vice President Al Gore, Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky, and 17 other people with White House pageantry on Friday.

“President Biden often says there is nothing beyond our capacity when we act together,” the White House said Friday. “These 19 Americans built teams, coalitions, movements, organizations, and businesses that shaped America for the better.”

The medal is awarded to 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,” according to the White House.

“They are the pinnacle of leadership in their fields,” the White House added. “They consistently demonstrated over their careers the power of community, hard work, and service.”

Here is the complete list of recipients provided by the White House:

Michael Bloomberg

Michael Bloomberg is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and three-term mayor. He changed the financial information industry and New York City’s education, environment, public health, and the arts. He spent about $1 billion of his fortune on an unsuccessful 2020 presidential run and later endorsed Biden for the Democratic nomination.

Greg Boyle

The Rev. Greg Boyle is a Jesuit Catholic priest who is the founder and director of Homeboy Industries, the world’s largest gang intervention and rehabilitation program. He has helped thousands of Angelenos turn their lives around.

Jim Clyburn

Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) is the former assistant Democratic leader and majority whip in the House. Clyburn’s endorsement of Biden in 2020 helped him win the party’s presidential nomination that year with a pivotal win in South Carolina.

Elizabeth Dole

Former North Carolina GOP Sen. Elizabeth Dole, the wife of the late Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, has served her country as a U.S. senator, secretary of transportation, secretary of labor, and president of the American Red Cross. Her foundation supports military caregivers and their families.

Phil Donahue

Phil Donahue is a journalist who pioneered the daytime issue-oriented television talk show. Donahue was the first daytime talk show to feature audience participation and one of the most popular television programs of its time.

Medgar Evers (posthumous)

Medgar Evers (d. 1963) fought for his country in World War II and returned home to lead the fight against segregation in Mississippi. After he was murdered at his home at age 37, his wife, Myrlie, continued the fight to seek justice and equality in his name.

Former Vice President Al Gore

Gore is a former vice president, U.S. senator, and member of the House. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for his action on climate change. He was the Democratic nominee for president in 2000 but narrowly lost to Republican George W. Bush.

Clarence B. Jones

Clarence B. Jones is a civil rights activist and lawyer who helped draft Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Jones was instrumental in preserving King’s legacy and remains outspoken against hate.

John Kerry

John Kerry is a former secretary of state, U.S. senator, and the first special presidential envoy for climate. His bravery in combat during the Vietnam War earned him the Silver Star and Bronze Star, and his public service career has spanned seven decades.

Frank Lautenberg (posthumous)

Frank Lautenberg (d. 2013) was a five-term United States senator and New Jersey’s longest-serving senator. He is remembered for his work on environmental protection and consumer safety across several fields.

Katie Ledecky

Ledecky is the most decorated female swimmer in history. She has won seven Olympic gold medals and 21 world championship gold medals so far.

Opal Lee

Opal Lee is an educator and activist known for her efforts to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday. More than 150 years after that day in Texas, she joined Biden to make Juneteenth a national holiday in 2021.

Ellen Ochoa

Ellen Ochoa was the first Hispanic woman in space and the second female director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Ochoa has flown in space four times and logged nearly 1,000 hours in orbit.

Nancy Pelosi

Pelosi served as the 52nd speaker of the House and has represented San Francisco in Congress for more than 36 years. She has shaped legislative agendas and Democratic priorities for decades.

Jane Rigby

Dr. Jane Rigby, an astronomer who grew up in Delaware, is the chief scientist of the world’s most powerful telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, and a prolific researcher.

Teresa Romero

Teresa Romero is the president of the United Farm Workers and the first Latina to become president of a national union in the United States.

Judy Shepard

Judy Shepard is the co-founder of the Matthew Shephard Foundation, an organization created in honor of her son, who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime.

Jim Thorpe (posthumous)

Jim Thorpe (d. 1953) was the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal. The country’s original multisport star, he went on to play professional football, baseball, and basketball.

Michelle Yeoh

Michelle Yeoh is an actress known for her work in several blockbusters over four decades. Recently, she became the first Asian to win the Academy Award for best actress for the 2022 film Everything Everywhere All at Once.

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