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.

David Dubinsky awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Judge Laurence Silberman awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Laurence Silberman
Carol Creighton Burnett awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Lincoln Kirstein awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
Lincoln Kirstein awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Kate Smith hasHonor Presidential Medal of Freedom
Kate Smith awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
John W. Gardner awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
John W. Gardner awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
this entity surface form: American Medal of Freedom
Caspar Weinberger awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
George P. Shultz awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Rudolf Serkin awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Christopher C. Kraft Jr. awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Abraham A. Ribicoff hasHonor Presidential Medal of Freedom
Eugene Ormandy awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Clarence "Kelly" Johnson awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Katharine Graham awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Melinda Ann French awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Sam Walton awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Sam Walton awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
this entity surface form: Presidential Medal of Freedom (posthumous)
Admiral Arleigh Burke awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Arleigh Burke
Helen Hayes awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Meryl awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Meryl Streep
Clarence Johnson awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Andrew Lamar Alexander Jr. awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Sidney Poitier awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Richard Petty awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Whittaker Chambers awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
this entity surface form: Posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom
Whittaker Chambers awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Barbara Mikulski honor Presidential Medal of Freedom
Katherine Johnson awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Robert Solow awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
James Quinn Wilson awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: James Q. Wilson
Mineta awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
subject surface form: Norman Mineta
Ariel Durant awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Donald A. Henderson awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Will Durant awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Arthur Ashe awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Abner J. Mikva award received Presidential Medal of Freedom
Ryan Crocker notableAward Presidential Medal of Freedom
Audrey Kathleen Ruston awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Muhammad Yunus awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Bernard A. Schriever awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Loretta Lynn awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Robert D. Murphy awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Edward Roybal awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Harrison H. Schmitt awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Fred Gray awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Vladimir Horowitz awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom
Stuart A. Roosa awardReceived Presidential Medal of Freedom