|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
15 Americans Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| |
| |
2000 Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients
Bill Clinton Awards Presidential Medals of Freedom
John Kenneth Galbraith takes Marian Wright Edelman's hand to kiss it, while Admiral William Crowe holds her other hand after she received her Medal of Freedom.
15 Americans awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
August 9, 2000
From staff and wire reports
WASHINGTON -- A Nazi hunter, two senators, two military leaders and activists representing a variety of causes are among 15 Americans who Wednesday received the nation's highest civilian honor -- the Presidential Medal of Freedom .
President Clinton presented the medals, one of them awarded posthumously, to 12 men and three women at a White House ceremony. Listed in alphabetical order, the recipients are:
* James Edward Burke , former chairman of Johnson & Johnson, is chairman of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. He has helped develop the National Youth Media Campaign and worked to discourage young people from using drugs.
* Sen. John Chafee , who died last year, served as a Marine lieutenant in the World War II battle at Guadalcanal and fought in the Korean War. He was a state representative in Rhode Island, governor of Rhode Island and secretary of the Navy. In the Senate, Chafee was a champion of environmental legislation and worked to expand health care and reform foster care.
* Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark , who as supreme allied commander of NATO led the alliance to victory in Kosovo. Clark graduated first in his class at West Point, served in Vietnam and helped negotiate the Bosnia peace accords.
* Retired Adm. William Crowe , former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who also served as commander of the Middle East Force in the Persian Gulf, head of Navy plans and policy, and commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Command.
* Marian Wright Edelman , president of the Children's Defense Fund. She was the first black woman admitted to the Mississippi bar and the first black woman elected to the Yale University Corp.
* John Kenneth Galbraith , a leading economist, taught economics for nearly 30 years and has written more than 30 books. During World War II, he was largely responsible for the Office of Price Administration's record in controlling inflation. He advised Presidents Kennedy and Johnson and also served as U.S. ambassador to India.
* Monsignor George Higgins, adjunct lecturer at Catholic University, has spent more than 50 years working to ensure worker justice. He has been honored several times by labor groups and once was described as the "labor movement's parish priest."
* The Rev. Jesse Jackson , considered both an asset and a pest by the Clinton administration, frequently is invited to White House events even though he flirted briefly with the idea of running for the Democratic presidential nomination. Jackson was with the Clinton family after the president told the nation of his extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky, but he drew the ire of Clinton advisers last year when he ignored their warnings and went to Yugoslavia to retrieve three American soldiers held as prisoners.
* Mildred "Millie" Jeffrey , a women's labor and Democratic Party activist, was the first female to direct a department of the United Auto Workers. She worked for the UAW from 1945 to 1976 and served on commissions during the Kennedy and Carter administrations.
* Mathilde Krim , who founded the AIDS Medical Foundation in 1983, was one of the earliest leaders in the effort to find a cure for AIDS. She has worked on topics ranging from cancer research to human genetics, and her foundation, which joined with the American Foundation for AIDS Research in 1985, has poured millions of dollars into AIDS research.
• George McGovern , the Democratic nominee for president in 1972, currently is the U.S. representative to the United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organization, where he is helping to develop a plan to address the food needs of 500 million people -- half the world's underfed -- by 2015. He was elected to the U.S. House in 1956. In the Senate, he led the expansion of the food stamp program.
• Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan has represented New York in the Senate since 1977. A strong supporter of Social Security, he is the only person to serve in the Cabinet or sub-Cabinet, including two ambassadorial appointments, of four successive presidential administrations, Kennedy through Ford.
• Cruz Reynoso , a private lawyer, teaches law and serves as vice chairman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. In 1982, after six years on the California Court of Appeals, he became the first Latino to serve on the California Supreme Court. He also has served as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
• The Rev. Gardner Taylor, an author and early civil rights supporter, has been called the "dean of the nation's black preachers." Under his leadership, his church, Concord Baptist Church of Christ in New York City, became the most prestigious black church in America.
• Simon Wiesenthal , a Nazi concentration camp survivor, has devoted his life to finding evidence to prosecute Nazi war criminals. In 1977, he founded the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which works to fight bigotry and anti-Semitism. President Carter presented him with the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal in 1980, and he received the French Legion of Honor in 1986.
Established by President Truman as a wartime honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom was reintroduced by President Kennedy as a way to honor civilian service.
It may be awarded only by a U.S. President to individuals who have made contributions "especially meritorious to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."
CNN's Brad Wright and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The highest civilian award in the United States, presented by Lyndon Baines Johnson on September 14, 1964. The medal is on a collar of blue, white and purple ribbon. The velvet lined presentation box also contains a miniature replica of the ribbon, a uniform ribbon, and a buttonhole ribbon.
Clark, Crowe Receive President's Freedom Medal By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 10, 2000 -- Retired Army Gen. Wesley K. Clark and retired Navy Adm. William J. Crowe Jr. are among the 15 persons who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom , America's highest civilian award.
The two military men and other honorees, including civil rights activist the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson and former Sen. George McGovern of South Dakota, now U.S. representative to the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization, received the medal from President Clinton in an Aug. 9 White House ceremony here.
Established in 1963, the Medal of Freedom is bestowed by the U.S. government. It is given to persons the president deems "to 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."
Text of the citation:
GENERAL WESLEY K. CLARK, USA (Ret.)
Respected for his military expertise, keen intellect, and diplomatic skill, General Wesley Clark has distinguished himself as a soldier, scholar, and statesman. Graduating from West Point at the head of his class, he set a standard of excellence that has been his lifelong benchmark, whether serving in Vietnam; as a key negotiator of the Dayton Peace Accords; or as head of the U.S. European Command. As Supreme Allied Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, he led the 19-member alliance to a historic victory in Kosovo in NATO's longest and most difficult military campaign. For his outstanding leadership and dedicated service, General Clark has earned the respect and admiration of a grateful Nation.
Clark's citation hailed the retired general as a soldier, scholar and statesman, respected for his military expertise, keen intellect and diplomatic skill. It specifically cited his roles as a key negotiator of the Dayton Peace Accords and as head of U.S. European Command.
Clinton paid tribute to Clark for his role as commander of NATO's longest and most difficult military campaign:
"In March of 1999 as Slobodan Milosevic unleashed his army and police on the people of Kosovo, Gen. Wesley Clark, NATO's supreme commander, was given the first military mission of its kind, directing the forces of a 19 nation alliance to end a brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing," the president said. "The stakes were monumental.
"Almost a million people had been driven from their homes solely because of their ethnic and religious background. Success would save lives, strengthen NATO, advance the cause of freedom, democracy and unity in Europe. Failure would leave much of the continent awash in a sea of refugees and end the 20th century on a note of helpless indignation in the face of evil.
"Wes Clark well understood the perils of the Balkans for he had already played a vital role in ending the war in Bosnia and beginning the long process of building a stable, multi- ethnic democracy in that country. He summoned every ounce of his experience and expertise as a strategist, soldier and a statesman to wage our campaign in Kosovo. He prevailed miraculously without the loss of a single combat casualty.
"At the apex of a long and distinguished military career that goes back to his outstanding performance as a cadet at West Point over 30 years ago, he was assigned a challenge many experts thought was mission impossible. Instead, thanks to Gen. Clark, we now can declare it mission accomplished."
Crowe's citation praised the retired admiral, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for standing watch over America for more than 50 years. Clinton saluted Crowe as a scholar, diplomat and patriot. After retiring from the military, Crowe served as ambassador to the United Kingdom.
Text of the citation:
ADMIRAL WILLIAM J. CROWE, JR., USN (Ret.)
A powerful force for peace and freedom, Admiral William J. Crowe, Jr. has stood watch over our country for more than 50 years, helping to preserve the liberty we hold dear. As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he worked vigorously to increase cooperation among the Armed Services, improving the speed, flexibility, and efficiency of U.S. defense capabilities. After retiring from a brilliant Navy career, he served with distinction as Ambassador to the United Kingdom and has strived to reduce the vulnerability of American embassies to terrorist attacks. Sailor, scholar, diplomat, and patriot, Admiral William Crowe has dedicated his life to charting a strong course for America.
"As a young officer, Bill Crowe seemed to seize every opportunity for a nontraditional Navy career," Clinton said. "He took a leave to earn a master's in education. He passed up an invitation to join the nuclear submarine program so he could earn a PhD. in politics at Princeton. A few years later when 'Doctor' Crowe found himself named 'Rear Admiral' Crowe, he was quite surprised. Only later did he learn that Adm. (Elmo) Zumwalt that year had ordered all naval promotion boards to consider, and I quote, 'iconoclasts.'
"Bill Crowe has always been an innovative and independent thinker. He was the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs with a mandate to promote greater cooperation among the armed forces along with the power to reshape their respective roles and missions. He used that power to build a military more agile and efficient for the global age.
"From that chairmanship to his ambassadorship at the court of St. James in our administration, Bill Crowe has been the right leader for changing times. Even more, he has himself helped to change the times, to enhance our strength, advance the peace and quicken the march of freedom. He is an 'iconoclast,' but an immensely patriotic one."
The other recipients were: - Jim Burke, former chief executive officer of Johnson and Johnson and chairman of the Partnership for a Drug-free America.
- the late John Chafee, a former Navy secretary and U.S. senator from Rhode Island.
- Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the Children's Defense Fund.
- John K. Galbraith, economist, public servant, educator and author.
- Monsignor George Higgins, champion of workers' and civil rights and religious tolerance.
- Mathilde Krim, biomedical researcher and AIDS educator.
- Mildred McWilliams Jeffrey, founder of the National Women's Political Caucus.
- Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan of New York, high-level adviser to four successive presidents.
- Cruz Reynoso, lawyer, jurist and social reformer
- Simon Wiesenthal, a World War II concentration camp survivor and Nazi hunter.
The President's Honor Roll; Clinton Awards Medal to 15 American Standouts
Jacqueline L. Salmon , Washington Post Staff Writer
John Kenneth Galbraith. Jesse Jackson. George McGovern. Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Marian Wright Edelman.
Each is an icon, reflecting some aspect of our collective life as a nation--benchmarks of history whose names we instantly recognize.
But sometimes we need an event to remind us why we know them--and why we should care.
And so it was yesterday that economist Galbraith, civil rights activist Jackson, former presidential candidate McGovern, retiring Sen. Moynihan and children's advocate Edelman, as well as other prominent figures in American life, gathered in the East Room of the White House to be presented with the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom .
Labor leaders, military leaders, ministers, activists--recipients who reflected the interests and politics of the departing president and the first lady, who happens to be running for the New York Senate seat vacated by Moynihan.
"Day in and day out," Hillary Clinton told the honorees and about 200 people in the audience, the 15 recipients "have widened our horizons and opened our minds and our hearts."
In his remarks, the president emphasized the first lady's role in choosing the honorees:
"Some of them reflect, now that we've been here eight years and been involved in public life for nearly three decades, a lot of personal experiences that we have had, and we had a lot of good times talking about who should be here today."
On the dais, facing a room packed with friends and families, sat 13 of the 15 recipients--some elderly, some frail, some sitting erect and vigorous.
One by one, in alphabetical order, they rose to accept the glistening white-and-gold medal, dipping their heads so that President Clinton could clasp it behind their necks and give them either a handshake or a Clintonesque hug.
Even the towering Galbraith, now stooped and frail, rose from his seat, steadied by a Marine, while Clinton put the medal with its bright blue ribbon on him. And after taking his seat, as Clinton announced the next recipient, the Rev. George Higgins of Catholic University, Galbraith quietly lifted the medal off his chest and gazed at it, turning it over, then letting it gently fall back to his chest.
Recipient Mildred "Millie" Jeffrey, a peppery women's labor and Democratic Party activist, broke the solemnity of the occasion by giving a mock curtsy and waving cheerfully at her family and friends after receiving the medal. The president laughed as uproariously as the crowd.
After the one-hour ceremony, as everyone crowded toward a reception, Peace Corps founder Sargent Shriver --a guest of McGovern and his running mate in his 1972 presidential campaign, as well as a '94 Medal of Freedom recipient--pulled a photocopied letter out of his pocket and stabbed his finger at the date: Aug. 9, 1974.
Addressed to Henry Kissinger, it was a copy of former president Nixon's resignation letter.
"Here it is," roared Shriver, who sported a blue McGovern-Shriver campaign button on his left lapel, "25 years later! We've made a lot of progress since Richard Nixon. . . . We didn't win, but, by God, what we stood for was really auspicious."
Outside on the White House portico, Moynihan regaled listeners with tales of President John F. Kennedy's efforts to turn a languishing honor called the Medal of Freedom into the more potent Presidential Medal of Freedom.
President Harry Truman created the Medal of Freedom in the waning days of World War II for those who aided American interests abroad. But, historians say, the medal quickly lost its cachet when it was doled out to more than 20,000 people, according to "The Presidential Medal of Freedom," a 1996 book by Virginia author Bruce Wetterau.
In 1963, Kennedy renamed and reinvigorated the award, with the help of a young aide. Yesterday, nearly four decades later, that aide stood on the dais of the East Room to accept his own medal--Moynihan.
Kennedy broadened the medal's scope to its present standard: for "especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interest of the United States, World Peace or cultural or other significant public or private endeavors"--and announced the first 31 recipients on July 4, 1963.
But Kennedy never got the chance to present the medals. According to Wetterau, the ceremony was repeatedly postponed because of design disagreements between the president and the first lady. It was finally scheduled for Dec. 6, 1963, but Kennedy was assassinated on Nov. 22.
And so, a mere 14 days after Kennedy's death, it fell to newly inaugurated President Lyndon Johnson to bestow the awards on such American icons as African American singer Marian Anderson and labor leader George Meany --as well as a posthumous medal to the fallen president himself. Johnson also had a medal engraved for Jacqueline Kennedy, but she declined hers, according to Wetterau.
Yesterday Moynihan recalled that emotional ceremony, also held in the East Room. Johnson had been reluctant to present only one posthumous award, he said, so Moynihan had been pressed into calling the Vatican to see if an award could also be given to Pope John, who had died nine months earlier.
"And the bishop said, 'Well, I'm sure he wouldn't mind but if he did mind, how would we know?' " Moynihan related.
He recalled how Jacqueline Kennedy sat behind a screen in the East Room during the ceremony so she couldn't be seen and listened to the citation, written by Moynihan, for her dead husband. "And then she got up," recalled Moynihan, "and she left the White House forever."
Recent decades have brought a proliferation of other presidential medals for civilians: the Presidential Citizens Medal, the National Medal of Arts.
The newest presidential medal--the Presidential Medal of Valor for public safety officers, such as firefighters and police officers--was established by Clinton just last month.
But the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal, awarded to civilians by Congress, continue to hold their position as the ne plus ultra of civilian honors.
Unlike most Washington institutions, the Presidential Medal of Freedom has been touched by controversy only briefly. In the 1960s, entertainment mogul Walt Disney was said to have worn a Goldwater pin on his lapel when he was awarded his medal. The story was later debunked. And in 1977, the family of the late sculptor Alexander Calder boycotted the ceremony to make a statement favoring amnesty for Vietnam War draft resisters.
What surely is one of the most ironic moments in the medal's history took place in 1970, when Nixon presented the medal to eight journalists--including Washington Post White House correspondent Edward T. Folliard.
Because the honorees are chosen solely by the president, their choices have tended to reflect personal and political preferences, say presidential historians.
Ronald Reagan, who awarded 85 medals--the most of any president (Clinton is number two with 83)--during his two terms, honored Hollywood contemporaries James Cagney, Frank Sinatra and Jimmy Stewart, as well as the Rev. Billy Graham and conservative Barry Goldwater.
George Bush awarded the medal to Ronald Reagan, British leader Margaret Thatcher and, in 1991, Desert Storm commanders Norman Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell.
Two years later, Powell made another trip to the White House to be awarded another Medal of Freedom, by Clinton, when he retired from the Army, becoming one of only two people ever to have received the medal twice. Ambassador Ellsworth Bunker was honored in '63 and '67.
Only a few people have won both the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom . Nazi war criminal prosecutor Simon Wiesenthal joined those ranks yesterday, although he was ill and unable to attend the ceremony, the White House said. Wiesenthal earned the Congressional Gold Medal in 1980.
Below, a list of yesterday's other recipients. While all of the names aren't instantly recognizable to many Americans, their accomplishments will be:
* James Edward Burke, the former chairman of Johnson & Johnson who won praise for his handling of the Tylenol-poisoning scare in the 1980s. He is chairman of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America.
* The late Sen. John H. Chafee, Republican senator from Rhode Island and one of Congress's leading environmentalists, who died last October. His widow, Virginia, accepted the award.
* Gen. Wesley K. Clark, the iconoclastic commander who headed U.N. forces in the Kosovo conflict.
* Adm. William Crowe, commander of the Middle East Force in the Persian Gulf and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
* Mathilde Krim, founder of the AIDS Medical Foundation and leading AIDS activist who has raised millions of dollars for the cause.
* Cruz Reynoso, the first Latino California Supreme Court justice and currently vice chairman of the Commission on Civil Rights.
* The Rev. Gardner C. Taylor, Baptist minister, author and early civil rights activist.
After the ceremony, someone asked Moynihan how it felt to receive an honor that he had worked to create, and his face softened.
"It's so special," he said, so quietly he could barely be heard, his eyes far away. "It's a special moment."
Mildred Jeffrey curtsies after receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000. With her are honorees Mathilde Krim, left, William J. Crowe, George S. McGovern, Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Wesley K. Clark.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Medal History
