Presidential Medal of Freedom

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award given by the President of the United States. It recognizes those individuals who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors". The award is not limited to U.S. citizens and, while it is a civilian award, it can also be awarded to military personnel and worn on the uniform.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom

It was established in 1963 and replaced the earlier Medal of Freedom that was established by President Harry S. Truman in 1945.

Gallery

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  President Ronald Reagan presenting Mother Teresa with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony in 1985
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  Strom Thurmond being honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George Bush in 1993
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  Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George H. W. Bush in 1991
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  George H. W. Bush awarding former President Ronald Reagan the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction in January 1993
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  Edgar M. Bronfman receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton in 1999
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  Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush on January 13, 2009
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  Former Prime Minister of Australia John Howard receiving the Medal from George W. Bush on January 13, 2009
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  Andy Griffith receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, August 2005
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  President Barack Obama talks with Stephen Hawking in the Blue Room of the White House before a ceremony presenting him and 15 others the Presidential Medal of Freedom, August 12, 2009.
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  Angela Merkel being honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, August 2010
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  President Donald Trump posthumously awards Elvis Presley the Presidential Medal of Freedom, November 2018
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  Bob Cousy receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Donald Trump in August 2019

Related pages

• Congressional Gold Medal
• Medal of Freedom
• List of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients

Other websites

Media related to Presidential Medal of Freedom at Wikimedia Commons

• "Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients", a list of recipients from May 5, 1993, through August 19, 2009, from senate.gov, the U.S. Senate's official website. Accessed August 22, 2009.