Bill Gates, Ellen DeGeneres, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are among Obama’s 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients
The White House has announced the 21 recipients of this year’s Presidential Medal of Freedom. The highest civilian honor in the country, the medals are awarded to individuals who made exceptional contributions to US national interests and security, world peace, or culture.
The recipients are:
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Elouise Cobell (posthumous)
- Ellen DeGeneres
- Robert De Niro
- Richard Garwin
- Bill and Melinda Gates
- Frank Gehry
- Margaret H. Hamilton
- Tom Hanks
- Grace Hopper (posthumous)
- Michael Jordan
- Maya Lin
- Lorne Michaels
- Newt Minow
- Eduardo Padrón
- Robert Redford
- Diana Ross
- Vin Scully
- Bruce Springsteen
- Cicely Tyson
Past recipients include Margaret Thatcher, Bob Dylan and Mother Teresa.