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1994 Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients
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1994 Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release: August 8, 1994
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT IN MEDAL OF FREEDOM CEREMONY
The East Room 4:40 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the White House. As you might imagine, one of the great pleasures of the presidency is selecting recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- the highest honor given to civilians by the United States of America.
If I might begin on a very personal and immediate note, last fall, this annual ceremony was held on a very happy day for me and for those of us who want a safer and more humane United States. It was the day we made the Brady Bill the law of the land.
Today as we gather here, Congress is on the verge of voting on the most comprehensive anticrime bill in history. But that bill has been held hostage for 11 days by certain special interest groups. So as we recognize the contributions of civilians to our country's way of life, I'd like to take this opportunity to call on those groups who are blocking the crime bill to let it come to a vote, and ask the other citizens of the United States to ask the Congress for the same thing. Many people we honor here today have given their whole lives to enriching the fabric of the future, and we can do no less. (Applause.)
This afternoon we will present the Presidential Medal of Freedom to nine remarkable individuals whose service to our democracy and to humanity has advanced the common interest of freedom-loving people, not only here at home but throughout the world -- Herbert Block, the late Cesar Chavez, Arthur Flemming, James Grant, Dorothy Height, Barbara Jordan, Lane Kirkland, Robert Michel and Sargent Shriver.
The medals these Americans receive today has a special history. It was established by President Truman in 1945 at first reward notable service in the war. In 1963 President Kennedy amended the award for distinguished civilian service in peace time. The honorees that year included the singer, Marian Anderson, Justice Felix Frankfurter, diplomat John McCloy, labor leader George Meany, the writer E.B. White, playwright Thornton Wilder and the artist Andrew Wyeth.
By the time that first ceremony was held here in the White House in December of 1963, President Johnson had added to the roll of names President Kennedy and His Holiness Pope John XXIII. Listen to this: At that time, Under Secretary of State George Ball said that the President is establishing what we can proudly call an American civil honors list. How many of our greatest citizens who went on to achieve other things, said that the greatest thing that could ever be said about them was that they were good citizens. That is true in every way of those we honor today.
Cesar Chavez, before his death in April of last year, had become a champion of working people everywhere. Born into Depression-era poverty in Arizona in 1927, he served in the United States Navy in the second world war, and rose to become one of our greatest advocates of nonviolent change. He was for his own people a Moses figure.
The farm workers who labored in the fields and yearned for respect and self-sufficiency pinned their hopes on this remarkable man, who, with faith and discipline, with soft-spoken humility and amazing inner strength, led a very courageous life. And in so doing, brought dignity to the lives of so many others, and provided for us inspiration for the rest of our nation's history.
We are honored to have his wife, friend and long-time working partner, Helen Chavez, to be with us today to receive the award.
These recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom represent different political parties, different ideologies, different professions; indeed, different ages. Their different eras, different races, different generations in American history cannot be permitted to obscure the fact of what they share in common -- an unusually profound sense of responsibility to improve the lives of their fellow men and women, to improve the future for our children, to embody the best of what we mean by the term "American citizen." By their remarkable records of service and by their incredible spirit, we have all been enriched.
And now, I would ask the military aide to read the citations as I present the Medal of Freedom .
(Citations are read.)
Ladies and gentlemen, in closing let me say that I couldn't help thinking as the citations were read and I looked into the faces of our honorees and their families, friends and admirers here, that we too often reserve our greatest accolades for our citizens when they are gone. I wish that Cesar Chavez could be here today. I am grateful that his wife is here, and I am so grateful that all these others are here.
Let us remember today that the greatest gift any of us can give the founders of this Constitution and this Republic is to emulate the work of these citizens whom we honor today, every day, each in our own way.
Thank you for being here. God bless you all.
(Applause.)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary _______________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release August 8, 1994 The President today awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the following individuals. The text of the accompanying citations reads as follows:
HERBERT BLOCK.
Combining humor, satire, and an incisive wit, Herbert Block, better known by his pen name Herblock, has endowed editorial pages with his skilled artistry for nearly half a century. His political cartoons continue to enliven the minds and tweak the sensibilities of millions of Americans. Usually selecting his targets from among the powerful of Washington, every President since Herbert Hoover has known the sting of Herblock's pen. He instills in our Nation's leaders a dose of humility, reminding all of us that public service is a privilege.
CESAR E. CHAVEZ. (Posthumously)
With few material possessions, but guided by his parents' steady example, his Catholic faith, the lessons of Gandhi, and an unshakable belief in justice, Cesar Chavez brought about much needed change in our country. An agricultural worker himself since childhood, he possessed a deep personal understanding of the plight of migrant workers, and he labored all his years to lift their lives. As the leader of United Farm Workers of America, he faced formidable, often violent opposition with dignity and nonviolence. And he was victorious. Cesar Chavez left our world better than he found it, and his legacy inspires us still.
ARTHUR FLEMMING.
The highest attributes of Government service are clearly evident in the brilliant career of Arthur Flemming. Serving every President from Franklin Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan, he is a proven resource of astute intelligence and steadfast loyalty. On the first two Hoover Commissions, he strove to renew and reinvigorate established principles of governmental power and responsibility. From his role as Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, to his landmark efforts as Chairman of the Commission on Civil Rights, he consistently challenged the status quo. He not only sought health care reform, but he also summoned our Nation to uphold its promise of equality. Arthur Flemming has selflessly labored for decades to make American Government more effective and efficient. A grateful Nation thanks him.
JAMES GRANT.
Recognizing that our children are our most important resource and most profound responsibility James Grant has devoted his life to making the world a better place for its youth. He has proven to be a compassionate and visionary executive director at UNICEF, teaching us the disastrous effects of poverty, population growth, and environmental degradation upon the vulnerable and dispossessed children of our world. Under his leadership, UNICEF has fought to reduce disease, malnutrition, disability, and illiteracy on a global scale. His wise stewardship has pointed the way toward a future in which these adversities may no longer threaten our children. James Grant continues to create hope and opportunity where there was once only despair, earning our eternal gratitude and ensuring a brighter tomorrow for our world.
DOROTHY IRENE HEIGHT.
Dorothy Height has spent a lifetime providing leadership in the struggle to make the promise of equality a reality for people around the world. Beginning as a civil rights advocate in the 1930s, she soon gained prominence through her tireless efforts to promote interracial schooling, to register and educate voters, and to increase the visibility and status of women in our society. She has labored to provide hope for inner-city children and their families, and she can claim responsibility for many of the advances made by women and African Americans over the course of this century. For helping our Nation to more accurately reflect the noble principles on which it was founded, we honor Dorothy Height.
BARBARA JORDAN.
Teaching by deed, as well as by word, Barbara Jordan has dramatically articulated an enduring standard of morality in American politics. Guided by an unshakable faith in the Constitution, she insists that it is the sacred duty of those who hold power to govern ethically and to preserve the rule of law. As the first African American woman elected to the Texas State Senate, her conspicuous abilities led her to the United States Congress, where her brilliant oratory and meticulous judgment earned our lasting respect. She continues her life's work as teacher, explaining and analyzing complex issues of moral responsibility in politics and imbuing the leaders of tomorrow with the ability to follow her formidable lead.
JOSEPH LANE KIRKLAND.
Lane Kirkland is a hero of the modern labor movement -- a man who has spent his life forging solidarity among the men and women whose sweat and toil have built our world. Ever resolute in his quest to enhance opportunities for working people, he has tirelessly worked to strengthen democracy and to further the cause of human rights. During the Cold War, his vital assistance to the Solidarity movement in Poland spurred the forces of freedom toward victory in Eastern Europe, just as his guidance here at home helped to renew and fortify the American economy. As a people, we are indebted to Lane Kirkland for his talented leadership efforts as an advocate for unity and social justice.
ROBERT H. MICHEL.
Demonstrating loyal devotion to our country, Bob Michel has worked ceaselessly to move our Nation forward. After valiant Army service during World War II, he chose to serve his community and country in the Congress, earning the trust of his constituents, election after election for nearly four decades. Raising his voice, sometimes in song, but always in the spirit of creative compromise and cooperation, he has won the enduring respect of his colleagues on Capitol Hill and of the nine Presidents with whom he has served. He retires as House Minority Leader, leaving a history of legislative victories that often broke gridlock in times of crisis. America thanks him for demonstrating the highest standards of public service, putting the interests of the Nation ahead of his own.
ROBERT SARGENT SHRIVER.
Robert Sargent Shriver has not only shared, but shaped, the action and passion of his times. It was Sarge Shriver's energy, persuasion, and leadership that made the goals of the Peace Corps attainable -- that living reminder that the essence of American power is not might of arms, but constancy of ideals and perseverance of effort. That so much endures with his indelible stamp both stuns and invigorates: Head Start, VISTA, Foster Grandparents, Legal Services, the Job Corps, and more. He released a torrent of creative energy -- from Special Olympic athletes to Head Start students to National Service pioneers. "Serve, serve, serve," Sargent Shriver told Americans, "because in the end, it will be the servants who save us all." His service has been our legacy of hope.
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Medal History
