Presidential Medal of Freedom

E4297

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award in the United States, bestowed by the President to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the country, world peace, or cultural and other significant public or private endeavors.

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All labels observed (13)

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf civilian award
state decoration
alsoKnownAs Presidential Medal of Freedom
surface form: Medal of Freedom
awardedFor especially meritorious contribution to cultural endeavors
especially meritorious contribution to other significant private endeavors
especially meritorious contribution to other significant public endeavors
especially meritorious contribution to the national interests of the United States
especially meritorious contribution to the security of the United States
especially meritorious contribution to world peace
awardingAuthority discretion of the President of the United States
awardingBody Executive Office of the President of the United States
awardingFrequency irregular, at the President’s discretion
canBeAwardedMultipleTimes true
canBeAwardedPosthumously true
country United States of America
surface form: United States
eligibility civilians
military personnel
non‑citizens
establishedBy Executive Order 11085
John F. Kennedy
establishedOn 1963
firstAwarded 1963
hasGrades with Distinction
without Distinction
insigniaType neck decoration
isCivilianEquivalentOf Congressional Gold Medal in terms of prestige
isHighest civilian award in the United States
legalBasis Executive Order 11085
surface form: Executive Order 11085 of February 22, 1963
predecessor Medal of Freedom (1945)
presentedBy President of the United States
purpose to recognize contributions to cultural endeavors
to recognize contributions to world peace
to recognize especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States
to recognize significant private endeavors
to recognize significant public endeavors
rank higher than Congressional Gold Medal in protocol of U.S. civilian awards
relatedAward Congressional Gold Medal
Presidential Citizens Medal
replaced Medal of Freedom (1945)
ribbonColor blue with white edge stripes
scope national and international contributions
status currently awarded
typeOfDecoration single‑grade decoration with optional degree of Distinction
typicalRecipients artists
athletes
civil rights leaders
humanitarians
political leaders
scientists

Referenced by (455)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

David Packard notableAward Presidential Medal of Freedom
Henry A. Kissinger awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
William D. Ruckelshaus awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Martin Luther King Jr. awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Medal for Merit higherAward Presidential Medal of Freedom
Medal for Merit relatedAward Presidential Medal of Freedom
this entity surface form: Medal of Freedom
Medal for Merit relatedAward Presidential Medal of Freedom
Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction partOf Presidential Medal of Freedom
Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction higherRankThan Presidential Medal of Freedom
Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction relatedAward Presidential Medal of Freedom
Paul A. Volcker awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Angela Merkel awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Bill Russell awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Congressional Gold Medal distinctFrom Presidential Medal of Freedom
C. Everett Koop awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Heinz awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Heinz Alfred Kissinger
John von Neumann awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
William H. Foege awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
James R. Killian Jr. awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Fred Rogers awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Toni Morrison awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Bob Dylan awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Henry Luce awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
J. Edgar Hoover awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
J. Edgar Hoover posthumousAward Presidential Medal of Freedom
Elie Wiesel awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
B. B. King awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Presidential Medal of Freedom alsoKnownAs Presidential Medal of Freedom
this entity surface form: Medal of Freedom
Yo-Yo Ma awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Mary Robinson awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Gordon E. Moore awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Anthony S. Fauci awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
George H. W. Bush awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
César Chávez awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
César Chávez awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Billie Jean King awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Neil A. Armstrong awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Bruce Springsteen notableAward Presidential Medal of Freedom
Oprah Winfrey notableAward Presidential Medal of Freedom
Stephen Hawking awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Meryl Streep awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Lorne Michaels awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Bob Cousy awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Sally K. Ride awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Chuck Yeager awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Lilly Ledbetter awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
George F. Kennan awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Shimon Peres awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Gregory Peck awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom