This is a partial list of the winners of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, listed chronologically according to the aspect of life in which each recipient is or was recognized. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded by the President of the United States for an especially meritorious contribution to (the security or national interests of the United States), or (world peace) or (cultural) or other important public or private initiatives. Honorees are selected by the president or recommended by the Distinguished Civil Service Awards Board. Usually, the medal is awarded to the recipient by the acting president who elected him.
However, the first winners selected by President John F. Kennedy before his assassination were formally awarded by his successor in office, Lyndon B. President Barack Obama awarded 123 medals, the most in history, followed by President Ronald Reagan with 100 medals. Two individuals, Ellsworth Bunker and Colin Powell, have twice received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Colin Powell received his second award with Distinction, while Ellsworth Bunker received his two awards with distinction. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is distinct from the Medal of Freedom, an earlier award issued before 1963 to honor the contributions of American civilians to World War II. Country singer Dolly Parton turned down the medal twice. Parton said she turned her down the first time because her husband was sick and the second time because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Johnson awarded 58 medals between 1963 and 1969, excluding 31 that were selected by John F. Truman and signed Executive Order 9586, which established the Medal of Freedom to recognize the outstanding services provided by civilians during World War II. With Executive Order 11085 (signed on February 22, 1996), Pres. Kennedy reinstated the award as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and expanded its scope to include cultural achievements.
The first winners, selected by Kennedy, received their medals from his successor, Lyndon B. Johnson, on December 6, 1963, at the White House. Kennedy, who had been assassinated the previous month, was added to the list and was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Before surprising Biden with the award, Obama gave a long and colorful speech in which he praised Biden, his wife, Dr.
Jill Biden, and their children and grandchildren. Suárez is the 43rd mayor of Miami. As the first mayor born in Miami, he is committed to building a Miami that lasts forever and that welcomes everyone. First elected with a term of 86 percent and then re-elected with a term of almost 79 percent, Mayor Suárez has defended the integration of climate adaptation policies, Web 3.0 technology and a free market government approach.
First elected with a term of 86 percent and then re-elected with a term of almost 79 percent, Mayor Suárez has defended the integration of climate adaptation policies, Web 3.0 technology and a free market approach in all facets of government as part of his Miami Forever Agenda. As the son of the former mayor of the city of Miami, Xavier Suárez, he was also exposed to public service since he was a child, since he grew up near his father's office at the City Hall, the same one where he works today. Most recently, Mayor Suárez has promoted the development of Miami's technological economy through Venture Miami, along with initiatives that connect education and job training with Miami's new emerging economic sectors, such as Fintech, Medtech and Greentech.
