Hoosiers to Receive Presidential Medal of Freedom
Photo of Lee Hamilton courtesy of the Center on Congress at Indiana University.
President Barack Obama has named 17 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and two of them are Hoosiers. Former Indiana Congressman Lee Hamilton and Indianapolis native William Ruckelshaus will be honored at the White House November 24th.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor. The award recognizes individuals who have made contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.
“I look forward to presenting these 17 distinguished Americans with our nation’s highest civilian honor. From public servants who helped us meet defining challenges of our time to artists who expanded our imaginations, from leaders who have made our union more perfect to athletes who have inspired millions of fans, these men and women have enriched our lives and helped define our shared experience as Americans,” President Obama said.
The recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom include:
- Yogi Berra (posthumous)
- Bonnie Carroll
- Shirley Chisholm (posthumous)
- Emilio Estefan
- Gloria Estefan
- Billy Frank, Jr. (posthumous)
- Lee Hamilton
- Katherine G. Johnson
- Willie Mays
- Barbara Mikulski
- Itzhak Perlman
- William Ruckelshaus
- Stephen Sondheim
- Steven Spielberg
- Barbra Streisand
- James Taylor
- Minoru Yasui (posthumous)