WASHINGTON — Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, prominent philanthropist George Soros, and acclaimed actor-director Denzel Washington are set to receive the nation’s highest civilian honor during a ceremony at the White House on Saturday.
President Joe Biden will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 19 distinguished individuals from various fields, including politics, sports, entertainment, civil rights, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and science.
The White House stated that these recipients have made “exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public, or private endeavors.”
Among the honorees, four medals will be awarded posthumously. The recipients include Fannie Lou Hamer, founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and a key figure in the 1965 Voting Rights Act; former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy; George W. Romney, a former Michigan governor and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; and Ash Carter, a former Secretary of Defense.
Kennedy is the father of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump for the position of Health and Human Services Secretary. Romney is associated with former Utah Republican Senator Mitt Romney, who has been a notable critic of Trump.
Prominent philanthropists recognized with the award include chef José Andrés, whose World Central Kitchen charity is recognized globally for its food relief efforts, and Bono, the U2 frontman known for his social justice activism.
Notable figures in sports and entertainment being honored include professional soccer star Lionel Messi; retired Los Angeles Lakers basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson; actor Michael J. Fox, a passionate advocate for Parkinson’s disease research; and William Sanford Nye, famously known as “Bill Nye the Science Guy.”
Other recipients include conservationist Jane Goodall; longtime Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour; fashion designer Ralph Lauren; George Stevens Jr., founder of the American Film Institute; entrepreneur and LGBTQ+ activist Tim Gill; and David Rubenstein, co-founder of the Carlyle Group.
Last year, President Biden presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 19 individuals, including the late Medgar Evers, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congressman James Clyburn, and actress Michelle Yeoh.
