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.

Václav Havel awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
John Wooden awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Dean Rusk honor Presidential Medal of Freedom
Frank M. Johnson Jr. awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Buzz awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Mildred Spiewak awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Dean Smith awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
John Hope Franklin awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Arthur Fiedler awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor relatedAward Presidential Medal of Freedom
Eunice Mary Kennedy awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Vinton awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Vinton Cerf
George McGovern awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Jonas Salk awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Kelly Johnson awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
this entity surface form: Medal of Freedom
Samuel Eliot Morison awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Martha Raye awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Gloria Steinem awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
John Sherman Cooper awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
John Wayne awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Lee A. DuBridge awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Pablo Casals awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Scully awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Vin Scully
James Cagney awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Presidential Medal of Merit comparedTo Presidential Medal of Freedom
Hewlett-Packard founders (William R. Hewlett and David Packard) awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: David Packard
Executive Order 9586 title Presidential Medal of Freedom
this entity surface form: Medal of Freedom
Executive Order 9586 establishedAward Presidential Medal of Freedom
this entity surface form: Medal of Freedom
Executive Order 9586 relatedTo Presidential Medal of Freedom
Sandra awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Sandra Day O’Connor
Madeleine Carroll awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
this entity surface form: Medal of Freedom
Daniel Kahneman (honorary doctorate, not student) awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Daniel Kahneman
Barbara Jordan awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Theodore M. Hesburgh awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Walter Cronkite awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Leontyne Price awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Herblock awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Doris Day awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
William Safire awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
J. William Fulbright awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
William H. Webster awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Cicely Tyson awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Dolores Huerta awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Harvey Milk awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
Harvey Milk awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Roberta Brooke Russell honor Presidential Medal of Freedom
Roberta Brooke Russell awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
George J. Tenet awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
William J. Perry awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
John Howard awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom