Presidential Medal of Freedom - wikipedia Presidential Medal of Freedom Presidential Medal of Freedom Awarded by the President of the United States of America Type Medal Awarded for `` An especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. '' Statistics Distinct recipients Unknown ; an average of fewer than 11 per year since 1993 Precedence Next ( higher ) None Next ( lower ) Presidential Citizens Medal Service ribbon of the Presidential Medal of Freedom ( left : Medal with Distinction ) The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is -- along with the comparable Congressional Gold Medal -- the highest civilian award of the United States. It recognizes those people who have made `` an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors ''. The award is not limited to U.S. citizens and, while it is a civilian award, it can also be awarded to military personnel and worn on the uniform. It was established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, superseding the Medal of Freedom that was established by President Harry S. Truman in 1945 to honor civilian service during World War II. Contents 1 History of the award 2 Insignia 3 Recipients 3.1 Gallery 4 See also 5 References 6 External links History of the award Similar in name to the Medal of Freedom, but much closer in meaning and precedence to the Medal for Merit : the Presidential Medal of Freedom is currently the supreme civilian decoration in precedence, whereas the Medal of Freedom was inferior in precedence to the Medal for Merit ; the Medal of Freedom was awarded by any of three Cabinet secretaries, whereas the Medal for Merit was awarded by the president, as is the Presidential Medal of Freedom. President John F. Kennedy established the current decoration in 1963 through Executive Order 11085, with unique and distinctive insignia, vastly expanded purpose, and far higher prestige. It was the first U.S. civilian neck decoration and, in the grade of Awarded With Distinction, is the only U.S. sash and star decoration ( the Chief Commander degree of the Legion of Merit -- which may only be awarded to foreign heads of state -- is a star decoration, but without a sash ). The Executive Order calls for the medal to be awarded annually on or around July 4, and at other convenient times as chosen by the president, but it has not been awarded every year ( e.g., 2001, 2010 ). Recipients are selected by the president, either on his own initiative or based on recommendations. The order establishing the medal also expanded the size and the responsibilities of the Distinguished Civilian Service Awards Board so it could serve as a major source of such recommendations. The medal may be awarded to an individual more than once ; Colin Powell received two awards, his second being With Distinction ; Ellsworth Bunker received both of his awards With Distinction. It may also be awarded posthumously ; examples ( in chronological order ) include John F. Kennedy, Pope John XXIII, Lyndon Johnson, Paul `` Bear '' Bryant, Thurgood Marshall, Cesar Chavez, Roberto Clemente, Jack Kemp, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, Elouise Cobell, and Grace Hopper ( Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner, civil rights workers murdered in 1964, were awarded their medals in 2014, 50 years later. ) Insignia Medal and accoutrements including undress ribbon, miniature, and lapel badge. Graphical representation of the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction The badge of the Presidential Medal of Freedom is in the form of a golden star with white enamel, with a red enamel pentagon behind it ; the central disc bears thirteen gold stars on a blue enamel background ( taken from the Great Seal of the United States ) within a golden ring. Golden American bald eagles with spread wings stand between the points of the star. It is worn around the neck on a blue ribbon with white edge stripes. A special, rarely given grade of the medal, known as the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, has a larger execution of the same medal design worn as a star on the left chest along with a sash over the right shoulder ( similar to how the insignia of a Grand Cross is worn ), with its rosette ( blue with white edge, bearing the central disc of the medal at its center ) resting on the left hip. When the medal With Distinction is awarded, the star may be presented descending from a neck ribbon and can be identified by its larger size than the standard medal ( compare size of medals in pictures below ). The sash and medal of the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction has never been worn in public since its inception. Both medals may also be worn in miniature form on a ribbon on the left chest, with a silver American bald eagle with spread wings on the ribbon, or a golden American bald eagle for a medal awarded With Distinction. In addition, the medal is accompanied by a service ribbon for wear on military service uniform, a miniature medal pendant for wear on mess dress or civilian formal wear, and a lapel badge for wear on civilian clothes ( all shown in the accompanying photograph of the full presentation set ). Recipients See also : List of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Gallery Civil Rights leader A. Philip Randolph receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from president Lyndon B. Johnson on September 14, 1964. President Richard Nixon and the Apollo 13 crew ( right to left : Jack Swigert, Jim Lovell and Fred Haise ) after being presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom on April 18, 1970. President Ronald Reagan presenting Mother Teresa with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony in 1985 Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George H.W. Bush in 1991 George H.W. Bush awarding former President Ronald Reagan the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction in January 1993 `` The Queen of Soul '' Aretha Franklin wipes a tear after being honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom alongside historian Robert Conquest, left, and economist Alan Greenspan on November 9, 2005. Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush on January 13, 2009 Former Prime Minister of Australia John Howard receiving the Medal from George W. Bush on January 13, 2009 Chita Rivera with President Barack Obama prior to receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, August 2009 President Barack Obama talks with Stephen Hawking in the Blue Room of the White House before a ceremony presenting him and 15 others the Presidential Medal of Freedom, August 12, 2009. President Barack Obama awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to German chancellor Angela Merkel on June 7, 2011. President Barack Obama awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction to Vice President Joe Biden on January 12, 2017. See also Awards and decorations of the United States government Awards and decorations of the United States military Bharat Ratna ( India ) Federal Cross of Merit ( Germany ) Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana ( Italy ) Légion d'honneur ( France ) Order of Merit ( United Kingdom and Commonwealth ) Order of Australia Knight Bachelor ( United Kingdom ) Order of Canada Order of St. Andrew ( Russia ) References ^ Jump up to : Executive Order 11085, signed February 22, 1960 ; Federal Register 28 ^ Jump up to : Executive Order 9586, signed July 6, 1945 ; Federal Register 10 FR 8523, July 10, 1945 Jump up ^ `` President Kennedy 's Executive Order 11085 : Presidential Medal of Freedom - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum ''. www.jfklibrary.org. Retrieved 2017 - 08 - 29. ^ Jump up to : `` U.S. Senate : Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients ''. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2016. Jump up ^ Clinton, W.J. ( September 30, 1993 ). `` Remarks on the Retirement of General Colin Powell in Arlington, Virginia ''. University of California, Santa Barbara : The American Presidency Project. Retrieved September 18, 2016. In recognition of your legacy and service, of your courage and accomplishment, today, General Powell, I was honored to present you with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, with distinction. I want to tell all those here in attendance that this was the second Medal of Freedom you have received, the first from President Bush in 1991. And today, you became only the second American citizen in the history of the Republic to be the recipient of two Medals of Freedom. Jump up ^ US White House ( November 16, 2016 ). `` President Obama Names Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom ''. Retrieved 22 Nov 2016. Jump up ^ Torreon, Barbara Salazar ( 31 Mar 2004 ). A Guide to Major Congressional and Presidential Awards ( PDF ). CRS Report for Congress. RS20884. Washington, DC : Congressional Research Service -- Library of Congress ( United States Government ). p. 4. Retrieved 2011 - 02 - 09. There are two degrees of the Medal, the higher being the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction. External links Presidential Medal of Freedom. `` Presidential Medal of Freedom '', an article ( undated ) from jfklibrary.org, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum 's official website. Accessed August 22, 2009. `` Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients '', a list of recipients from May 5, 1993, through August 19, 2009, from senate.gov, the U.S. Senate 's official website. Accessed August 22, 2009. `` President Bush Honors Medal of Freedom Recipients '', a news release from the White House Press Secretary, December 15, 2006, containing a transcript of President George W. Bush 's opening remarks at the December 15, 2006, presentation ( with link to individual citations ). Hosted on georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov, a section of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration 's official website. Accessed August 22, 2009. `` Medal of Freedom Ceremony '' ( August 12, 2009 ), a news release, August 12, 2009, from the White House Press Secretary at whitehouse.gov, the White House 's official website. Accessed August 22, 2009. Sanger, David E., `` War Figures Honored With Medal of Freedom '', The New York Times, December 15, 2004. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Presidential_Medal_of_Freedom&oldid=799560011 '' Categories : Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Awards established in 1960 Civil awards and decorations of the United States Presidency of the United States Hidden categories : Pages using deprecated image syntax All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from January 2017 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Azərbaycanca Беларуская Català Čeština Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Føroyskt Français Frysk Galego 한국어 Italiano עברית ქართული Latina Lietuvių Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Русский Simple English Suomi Svenska ไทย Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 8 September 2017, at 13 : 15. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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Question: who decides who gets the presidential medal of freedom
Answer: President of the United States