President Obama has named architects Frank Gehry and Maya Lin among the 21 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor. Established in its current decoration in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, the award is presented to “individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”
“The Presidential Medal of Freedom is not just our nation's highest civilian honor—it's a tribute to the idea that all of us, no matter where we come from, have the opportunity to change this country for the better. From scientists, philanthropists, and public servants to activists, athletes, and artists, these 21 individuals have helped push America forward, inspiring millions of people around the world along the way,” said President Obama in a statement.
Previous architects to have won the award include Mies van der Rohe (1963), Buckminster Fuller (1983) and I.M. Pei (1993)
Gehry was noted by the White House for his role in defining contemporary architecture, citing his well-known works the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the Dancing House in Prague, and the Guggenheim Museum building in Bilbao, Spain.
Maya Lin received commendation for her work in architecture, sculpture and landscape art, notably her design for Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., as well as her recent environmental activism, as seen in her ongoing project, “What is Missing?”.
The complete list of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients is as follows:
- Frank Gehry
- Maya Lin
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Elouise Cobell (posthumous)
- Ellen DeGeneres
- Robert De Niro
- Richard Garwin
- Bill and Melinda Gates
- Margaret H. Hamilton
- Tom Hanks
- Grace Hopper (posthumous)
- Michael Jordan
- Lorne Michaels
- Newt Minow
- Eduardo Padrón
- Robert Redford
- Diana Ross
- Vin Scully
- Bruce Springsteen
- Cicely Tyson
