<I>Presidential Medal of Freedom</I>
date: label: Date
content: July 3, 1991
name: label: Created by
content: United States Army, American, founded 1775
label: Issued by
content: President George H. W. Bush, American, born 1924
label: Received by
content: General Colin L. Powell, American, 1937 - 2021
notes: label: Caption
content: General Colin Powell was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on July 3, 1991, by President George H. W. Bush. Along with the Congressional Gold Medal, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States. General Powell was awarded a second Presidential Medal of Freedom, with distinction, in 1993.
label: Description
content: A Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded by President George H.W. Bush to General Colin L. Powell, July 3, 1991. This multicolored medal is a layered five-point gold star designed by the US Army’s Institute of Heraldry. The front of the star is painted with white enamel and overlays the red enameled golden pentagon below it, which is ringed by gold wingspread eagles. The round center of the star has a dark blue enamel face with thirteen gold stars, as seen on the Great Seal of the United States. On the reverse of the medal embossed in a circle of large letters is: [PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM]. At the center is engraved: [GENERAL / COLIN L. POWELL, USA / JULY 3, 1991 / 638]. The medal is typically worn around the neck by its white bordered navy-blue ribbon and is, in addition to the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor of the United States.
place: label: Place collected
content: McLean, Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, North and Central America
title: label: Title
content: Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to General Colin Powell
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Government
label: Topic
content: Men
label: Topic
content: Military
label: Topic
content: Persian Gulf War, 1991
label: Topic
content: Politics
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1969-2001
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Awards, Medals, and Insignia
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Alma J. Powell
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: A2022.101.1.5.1
objectType: label: Type
content: regalia
label: Type
content: medals
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No known copyright restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: ink and enamel on gold with rayon
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 4 5/16 × 2 3/16 × 3/16 in. (11 × 5.6 × 0.4 cm)