Mass. — Former Massachusetts Senator John Kerry will be awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor on Friday.
The former Secretary of State, United States Senator, and the first Special Presidential Envoy for Climate will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House today, President Joe Biden announced. The award is presented to those who “have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors,” the White House said.
Kerry will be one of 19 recipients of the award honored at the White House.
“These nineteen Americans built teams, coalitions, movements, organizations, and businesses that shaped America for the better. They are the pinnacle of leadership in their fields. They consistently demonstrated over their careers the power of community, hard work, and service,” the White House said in a statement.
Kerry served as the United States Senator for Massachusetts from 1985 through 2013. Kerry grew up in Massachusetts and graduated from Yale University in 1966 before enlisting with the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. Kerry then attended Boston Law and became assistant district attorney for Middlesex County before launching his political career. Kerry served as the 68th United States Secretary of State from 2013-2017 and was the Democratic Party’s nominee for President of the United States in 2004.
Kerry will join the following other recipients:
Michael Bloomberg- Former three-term mayor of New York City.
Gregory Boyle- Jesuit Catholic priest who is the founder and director of Homeboy Industries, the world’s largest gang intervention and rehabilitation program.
Jim Clyburn- Former Assistant Democratic Leader and Majority Whip in the United States House of Representatives
Elizabeth Dole- United States Senator, Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of Labor, and President of the American Red Cross.
Phil Donahue- Journalist and television pioneer who pioneered the daytime issue-oriented television talk show
Medgar Evers (posthumous)- A World War II veteran who returned home to fight against segregation in Mississippi. Murdered at his home at age 37, his wife Myrlie continued the fight to seek justice and equality in his name.
Al Gore- Former Vice President, United States Senator, and member of the House of Representatives. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for his bold action on climate change.
Clarence B. Jones- Renowned civil rights activist and lawyer who helped draft Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
Frank Lautenberg (posthumous)- Five-term United States Senator and New Jersey’s longest-serving Senator.
Katie Ledecky- Seven-time Olympic gold medalist and most decorated female swimmer in history.
Opal Lee- Educator and activist known for her efforts to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday
Ellen Ochoa- First Hispanic woman in space and the second female Director of NASA’s renowned Johnson Space Center.
Nancy Pelosi- 52nd Speaker of the House.
Jane Rigby- An astronomer who grew up in Delaware, chief scientist of the world’s most powerful telescope
Teresa Romero- president of the United Farm Workers and the first Latina to become president of a national union in the United States.
Judy Shepard- co-founder of the Matthew Shephard Foundation, an organization created in honor of her son who was murdered in one of the nation’s most notorious anti-gay hate crimes
Jim Thorpe (posthumous) - First Native American to win an Olympic gold medal and a professional football, baseball and basketball star.
Michelle Yeoh - First Asian to win Academy Award for Best Actress.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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