Presidential Medal of Freedom

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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.

All labels observed (13)

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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

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Referenced by (455)

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

Chloe awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Chloe Anthony Wofford Morrison
Audrey Hepburn awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Vin Scully awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Edmund Muskie awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Barry Goldwater awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Eliezer awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Eliezer Wiesel
Warren awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Warren Buffett
Walter Reuther awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Yo-Yo awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Yo-Yo Ma
Ben Bradlee awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Itzhak Perlman awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Mary Therese Winifred Bourke awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Fred awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Fred Rogers
Robert Kahn awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Marian Anderson awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Frank Church awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Billie Jean awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Billie Jean King
Billie Jean Moffitt receivedAward Presidential Medal of Freedom
Clare Boothe Luce awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
John J. McCloy awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Harper Lee awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Harper Lee honor Presidential Medal of Freedom
this entity surface form: Presidential Medal of Freedom 2007
Congressional Space Medal of Honor relatedTo Presidential Medal of Freedom
Aaron Copland awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Jacques-Yves Cousteau awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Jeane Kirkpatrick awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Jeane Kirkpatrick awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
this entity surface form: Medal of Freedom
Aung San Suu Kyi awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
George Meany awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
John Glenn awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
The Boss associatedWithRecognition Presidential Medal of Freedom
Plácido Domingo awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Howard Baker awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Bob Dole awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Willem de Kooning awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Jasper Johns awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Lorne David Michaels awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Lorne Michaels
Norman Mineta awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Gróf András István awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Andrew S. Grove
Dean Acheson awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
James Q. Wilson awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
James Michener awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: James A. Michener
Erwin N. Griswold awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Lee Iacocca awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
Diana Ross awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Eldred awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Eldred Gregory Peck
Peres awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Shimon Peres
John L. Lewis hasHonor Presidential Medal of Freedom
Brooke awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Brooke Astor