Medal of freedom
“Wilma’s one of the most decorated women ever to serve in the United States military,” Biden said during Thursday’s ceremony. The medals are awarded by the president to people who have had significant cultural impacts or made great contributions to the country or the world.Extending the nation’s highest civilian honor to Vaught, Biden recognized her shattering of conventions that broke down gender barriers and helped to shape new opportunities for U.S. President Joe Biden presents gymnast Simone Biles with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the East Room of the White House on July 7, 2022. military and Raúl Yzaguirre, a civil rights advocate who was the CEO and president of the National Council of La Raza for 30 years. Wilma Vaught, an Air Force brigadier general and one of the most decorated women in the history of the U.S. Alexander Karloutsos, former vicar-general of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Diane Nash, a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee who worked with Martin Luther King Jr. college Fred Gray, one of the first Black members of the Alabama Legislature since Reconstruction the Rev. Alan Simpson, R-Wyo., a prominent advocate of campaign finance reform and marriage equality Sister Simone Campbell, an advocate for progressive issues Julieta García, the first Hispanic woman to serve as president of a U.S. The eight other recipients are former Sen. “The most important part of today,” Rapinoe wrote in an Instagram post of a photo of the embroidered initials.
Hours before the White House ceremony, Griner, who has been detained in Russia since February, pleaded guilty to drug charges in a Moscow court. Rapinoe wore a white suit with the initials of WNBA star Brittney Griner embroidered on the lapel. She survived and became a major advocate of gun violence prevention efforts.īiles is the most decorated gymnast in American history, with 32 Olympic and world championship medals, and Rapinoe is an Olympic gold medalist and two-time Women’s World Cup champion. Giffords, who was a House member from Arizona, was shot at a constituent event in Tucson in 2011. Fred Gray, bottom left, is recognized by President Joe Biden during a ceremony Thursday to award the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in the East Room of the White House. and Richard Trumka, who was president of the AFL-CIO. Three recipients were awarded the medal posthumously: McCain, who served in the Senate with Biden and in the House and became the Republican presidential nominee in 2008 Steve Jobs, a co-founder of Apple Inc.
#MEDAL OF FREEDOM FULL#
“This is America,” he said, gesturing to the stage full of award winners. “We the people, doing what we can to ensure that the idea of America, the cause of freedom, shines like the sun to light up the future of the world. “The Fourth of July week reminds us what brought us together long ago and still binds us - binds us at our best, what we strive for,” Biden said.