Two LGBT icons, Sally Ride and Bayard Rustin, are among the sixteen American heroes whom President Barack Obama will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The White House today announced the list of esteemed individuals to receive the Nation’s highest civilian honor. The late Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI) a strong LGBT ally, rounds up the list of award recipients who will receive the award posthumously.
“This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Executive Order signed by President John F. Kennedy establishing the Presidential Medal of Freedom, as well as the first ceremony bestowing the honor on an inaugural class of 31 recipients,” the White House notes:
Since that time, more than 500 exceptional individuals from all corners of society have been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Sally Ride was the first American female astronaut to travel to space. As a role model to generations of young women, she advocated passionately for science education, stood up for racial and gender equality in the classroom, and taught students from every background that there are no limits to what they can accomplish. Dr. Ride also served in several administrations as an advisor on space exploration.
Bayard Rustin was an unyielding activist for civil rights, dignity, and equality for all. An advisor to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he promoted nonviolent resistance, participated in one of the first Freedom Rides, organized the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and fought tirelessly for marginalized communities at home and abroad. As an openly gay African American, Mr. Rustin stood at the intersection of several of the fights for equal rights.
The remaining thirteen include baseball great Ernie Banks, former Washington Post executive editor Ben Bradlee, former President Bill Clinton, psychology pioneer Daniel Kahneman, recently retired Republican U.S. Senator Richard Lugar, country music legend Loretta Lynn, chemist and environmental scientist Mario Molina, celebrated jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer Arturo Sandoval, former UNC head coach Dean Smith, renowned writer and activist for women’s equality Gloria Steinem, Civil Rights Movement leader Cordy Tindell “C.T.†Vivian, former International Criminal Tribunal judge Patricia Wald, and the highly successful broadcast journalist and household name, Oprah Winfrey.
The White House offers a biography of each in their announcement.
The New Civil Rights Movement is proud to have published over a dozen articles about or mentioning the late Bayard Rustin, which you can read in our archives here. You can also read our obituary of Dr. Ride here, and our archives mentioning her here.