Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, More Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
By Matthew Strauss.
President Barack Obama has announced 21 new recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom–the nation’s highest civilian honor. Among them are Bruce Springsteen and Diana Ross. In a press release, Obama said, “The Presidential Medal of Freedom is not just our nation’s highest civilian honor–it’s a tribute to the idea that all of us, no matter where we come from, have the opportunity to change this country for the better.” The awards will be presented at the White House on Tuesday, November 22, and will be live streamed here.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is “presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.” Rounding at the 2016 recipients are Tom Hanks, Michael Jordan, Ellen DeGeneres, Bill and Melinda Gates, Lorne Michaels, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Emmy and Tony Award-winner Cicely Tyson, and more. Past recipients include Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, and many more. Find the full list of 2016 honorees here.
Read about some of Springsteen and Ross’ greatest work in “The 200 Best Songs of the 1970s” and “The 200 Best Songs of the 1980s.” Check out our new feature “The Presidential Suite: A Look Back at Obama’s Musical Milestones.”
This story originally appeared on Pitchfork.
More from Pitchfork:
The 50 Best Rap Mixtapes of the Millennium
The Top 30 Artists You Need to Follow on Social Media
The Influence of Kanye West’s 808s & Heartbreak
