Comedian Ellen DeGeneres, actress Cicely Tyson, and singer Diana Ross were among the 21 recipients honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Tuesday. As Variety describes, the “prestigious award [is] granted to individuals who have contributed to notable change and progress in the United States,” and is considered the highest honor a civilian can receive.
President Barack Obama praised DeGeneres for her LGBTQ activism as well as her infectious positive attitude, and commended DeGeneres for her brave decision to publicly identify as gay two decades ago.
“It’s easy to forget now when we’ve come so far, where now marriage is equal under the law, just how much courage was required for Ellen to come out on the most public of stages almost 20 years ago,” Obama said. “Just how important it was. Not just to the LGBT community, but for all of us.” He emphasized “what an incredible burden that was” for DeGeneres to bear, and acknowledged that she risked her career when she publicly identified as a lesbian, and still has “the hopes of millions on [her] shoulders.” Obama added, “Ellen counters what too often divides us, with the countless things that bind us together, [and]inspires us to be better, one joke, one dance at a time.”
“At a pivotal moment, [DeGeneres’] courage and candor helped change the hearts and minds of million of Americans, accelerating our nations constant drive towards equality and acceptance for all,” a White House aide observed.
The talk show host was visibly moved as Obama bestowed her with the medal.
“Black-ish” star Tracee Ellis Ross was in attendance to support her mother (Diana Ross), and the actress shared a hilarious video on Twitter of the honorees at the White House doing the Mannequin Challenge.
Look what I got everyone to do! It's the #MannequinChallenge at the @WhiteHouse! I'm in the pink dress laughing with @RitaWilson! https://t.co/fYPvYcMJ57
Women accounted for eight of the 21 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients. Check out all of the female honorees and their bios below. List adapted from The White House. You can watch the full event here.
Elouise Cobell (posthumous)
Elouise Cobell was a Blackfeet Tribal community leader and an advocate for Native American self-determination and financial independence. She used her expertise in accounting to champion a lawsuit that resulted in a historic settlement, restoring tribal homelands to her beloved Blackfeet Nation and many other tribes, and in so doing, inspired a new generation of Native Americans to fight for the rights of others. Cobell helped found the Native American Bank, served as director of the Native American Community Development Corporation, and inspired Native American women to seek leadership roles in their communities.
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres is an award-winning comedian who has hosted her popular daytime talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, since 2003 with her trademarked humor, humility, and optimism. In 2003 Ellen lent her voice to a forgetful but unforgettable little fish named Dory in “Finding Nemo.” She reprised her role again in 2016 with the hugely successful “Finding Dory.” Ellen also hosted the Academy Awards twice, in 2007 and 2014. In 1997, after coming out herself, DeGeneres made TV history when her character on Ellen revealed she was a lesbian. In her work and in her life, she has been a passionate advocate for equality and fairness.
Melinda (and Bill) Gates
Bill and Melinda Gates established the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000 to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, the foundation focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, the mission is to ensure that all people — especially those with the fewest resources — have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. The Gates Foundation has provided more than $36 billion in grants since its inception.
Margaret H. Hamilton
Margaret H. Hamilton led the team that created the on-board flight software for NASA’s Apollo command modules and lunar modules. A mathematician and computer scientist who started her own software company, Hamilton contributed to concepts of asynchronous software, priority scheduling and priority displays, and human-in-the-loop decision capability, which set the foundation for modern, ultra-reliable software design and engineering.
Grace Hopper (posthumous)
Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, known as “Amazing Grace” and “the first lady of software,” was at the forefront of computers and programming development from the 1940s through the 1980s. Hopper’s work helped make coding languages more practical and accessible, and she created the first compiler, which translates source code from one language into another. She taught mathematics as an associate professor at Vassar College before joining the United States Naval Reserve as a lieutenant (junior grade) during World War II, where she became one of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I computer and began her lifelong leadership role in the field of computer science.
Maya Lin
Maya Lin is an artist and designer who is known for her work in sculpture and landscape art. She designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. and since then has pursued a celebrated career in both art and architecture. A committed environmentalist, Lin is currently working on a multi-sited artwork/memorial, What is Missing? bringing awareness to the planet’s loss of habitat and biodiversity.
Diana Ross
Diana Ross has had an iconic career spanning more than 50 years within the entertainment industry in music, film, television, theater, and fashion. Diana Ross is an Academy Award nominee, inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and recipient of the Grammy Awards highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award. Ross was a recipient of the 2007 Kennedy Center Honors. Diana Ross’s greatest legacy is her five wonderful children.
Cicely Tyson
Cicely Tyson has performed on the stage, on television, and on the silver screen. She has won two Emmy Awards and a Tony Award, and is known for her performances in “Sounder,” “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman,” and “The Help.” In 2013, she returned to the stage with “The Trip to the Bountiful,” and was awarded the Tony Award for best leading actress. Tyson received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2015.
