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President Biden presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, to 19 recipients from various fields including politics, activism, and entertainment.
Among those honored are Biden’s 2020 primary opponents John Kerry and John Bloomberg, as well as Nancy Pelosi, Jim Clyburn, and Al Gore.
Activists receiving the award included Opal Lee, dubbed the “grandmother of Juneteenth,” and Judy Shepard, mother of murdered gay rights activist Matthew Shepard.
Athletes Katie Ledecky and Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman in space, were also recognized.
The White House statement praised the diverse group for shaping America through leadership, community, hard work and service in their respective fields.
