Biden to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 19 politicians, activists, athletes and more

President Joe Biden will honour 19 individuals with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for their exemplary contributions

Clarence B. Jones says he thought a prankster was on the line when he answered the telephone and heard the person on the other end say they were calling from the White House.

“I said, is this a joke or is this serious?'" Mr. Jones recalled. The caller swore they were serious and was calling with the news that President Joe Biden wanted to recognise Mr. Jones with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honour.

Mr. Jones, 93, will be honoured for his activism during the Civil Rights Movement. He's a lawyer who provided legal counsel to Martin Luther King Jr. and helped write the opening paragraphs of the “I Have a Dream” speech that King delivered at the Lincoln Memorial at the 1963 March on Washington.

Mr. Jones is among a diverse group of 19 individuals to be honoured on Friday by the Democratic president for making what the White House said are “exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavours.” The 10 men and nine women hail from the worlds of politics, sports, entertainment, civil rights and LGBTQ+ advocacy, science and religion. Three medals will be awarded posthumously.

“These nineteen Americans built teams, coalitions, movements, organisations, and businesses that shaped America for the better,” the announcement from the White House said. “They are the pinnacle of leadership in their fields. They consistently demonstrated over their careers the power of community, hard work, and science.” Seven politicians are among the recipients: former New York mayor and philanthropist Michael Bloomberg, Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., former Sen. Elizabeth Dole, climate activist and former Vice President Al Gore, Mr. Biden's former climate envoy John Kerry, former Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., who died in 2013, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Mr. Clyburn's endorsement of his long-time friend Mr. Biden in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary is credited with helping Mr. Biden score a thundering win in South Carolina that helped power him to his party's nomination and ultimately the White House. Mr. Bloomberg mounted a short-lived bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

In addition to representing North Carolina in the Senate, Ms. Dole, who is a Republican, also served as transportation secretary and labour secretary and was president of the American Red Cross. She currently leads a foundation supporting military caregivers.