the gymnastics star Simone Bilesthe actor Denzel Washington and the late technology visionary Steve Jobs have been named winners of the highest civilian honor of USA, the White House said Friday.
President Joe Biden nominated 17 Americans to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, three of them posthumous.
The White House said the medal recognizes “exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant public, private, or social endeavors.”
Among the recipients is Megan RapinoeOlympic gold medalist soccer star, two-time Women’s World Cup champion, and outspoken advocate for equality, race, and LGBTQ issues.
Before a July 7 ceremony, the White House said the honorees “overcame significant obstacles … and acted courageously to drive change in their communities, and around the world, while blazing trails for generations to come.”
One posthumous winner this year is John McCain, a former Republican presidential candidate, longtime senator from Arizona and a Vietnam War veteran who won a Purple Heart.
Previous presidential medal winners include basketball legend Kareem Abdul-JabbarMotown singer Diana Ross and the actor Robert DeNiro.
