Medal Of Freedom Has 15 New Recipients

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award conferred by the United States (along with the Congressional Gold Medal). It is 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." This distinguished honor now has 15 new recipients. On Tuesday, President Obama presented the Medal of Freedom to the following people:

George H. W. Bush, former U.S. President

Maya Angelou, poet

Bill Russell, basketball player & first African-American NBA coach

Yo-Yo Ma, cellist

Stan Musial, baseball player

Warren Buffett, businessman & investor

John Lewis, congressman and civil rights activist

Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany

Jasper Johns, artist

John H. Adams, co-founder of Natural Resources Defense Council

Gerda Weissmann Klein, author & Holocaust survivor

Tom Little, optometrist killed on Afghan humanitarian mission

Sylvia Mendez, civil rights activist

John J. Sweeney, President Emeritus of AFL-CIO

Jean Kennedy Smith, former Ambassador & founder of VSA (which promotes the artistic talents of the disabled)