A winner of seven Olympic gold medals, a leader of the Mississippi civil rights struggle and a pioneer of television's tabloid talk show genre are part of this year's class of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients.

US&nbsp;President Joe Biden extended the highest US&nbsp;civilian award to 19 people, including Team USA swimmer Katie Ledecky, the assassinated civil rights leader Medgar Evers and television host Phil Donahue.

"Don't let age get in your way," Biden, the oldest U.S. president at 81, said to Ledecky, 27, as he encouraged her to seek more medals during an awards ceremony at the White House on Friday. "Katie, age is just a number, kid."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/presidential-medal-of-freedom-2024-biden-to-award-19-politicians-activists-and-others-717824">Presidential Medal of Freedom 2024: Biden to award 19 politicians, activists, and others</a>

The honoree list plays special homage to "firsts" in their field, including the "Everything Everywhere All at Once" actress Michelle Yeoh, who was the first Asian to win the Academy Award for Best Actress; Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman in space; and Jim Thorpe, the versatile athlete who became the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal in 1912.

Biden also celebrated some key political allies in the Democratic Party, from Representative Jim Clyburn, who rescued his 2020 presidential primary bid with an endorsement in South Carolina, to Nancy Pelosi, who shepherded his legislative agenda through Congress as House of Representatives speaker until last year.

Also included are several one-time presidential candidates, former Senator Elizabeth Dole, former Vice President Al Gore, one-time Secretary of State John Kerry and previous New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

"After winning the popular vote, he accepted the outcome of a disputed presidential election for the sake of unity and trust in our institutions," Biden said of Gore's concession to George W. Bush in the 2000 election, a jab at ex-President Donald Trump, who has never conceded his 2020 loss to Biden.

"That to me was amazing what you did, Al. I won't go into that." The remark drew some laughter.

"In my view, the last two guys should be standing here at this podium," Biden said of Gore and Kerry.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-airstrike-in-syria-mistakenly-killed-civilian-pentagon-admits-717577">US airstrike in Syria mistakenly killed civilian, not al Qaeda leader, Pentagon admits</a>

Bloomberg, a billionaire businessman who strayed from the Republican Party he once called home, may become an important financial backer of the president's 2024 reelection campaign.

Biden also honored Father Greg Boyle, a Catholic priest who founded the gang intervention program Homeboy Industries; Opal Lee, an activist who pushed for Juneteenth to be a holiday marking the end of slavery in the United States; Senator Frank Lautenberg, a consumer safety advocate; astrophysicist Jane Rigby; United Farm Workers president Teresa Romero; LGBT advocate Judy Shepard; and Clarence B. Jones, who helped draft Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

A winner of seven Olympic gold medals, a leader of the Mississippi civil rights struggle and a pioneer of television's tabloid talk show genre are part of this year's class of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients.

A winner of seven Olympic gold medals, a leader of the Mississippi civil rights struggle and a pioneer of television's tabloid talk show genre are part of this year's class of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients. US President Joe Biden extended the highest US civilian award to 19 people, including Team USA swimmer Katie Ledecky, the assassinated civil rights leader Medgar Evers and television host Phil Donahue. "Don't let age get in your way," Biden, the oldest U.S. president at 81, said to Ledecky, 27, as he encouraged her to seek more medals during an awards ceremony at the White House on Friday. "Katie, age is just a number, kid." Also read: Presidential Medal of Freedom 2024: Biden to award 19 politicians, activists, and others The honoree list plays special homage to "firsts" in their field, including the "Everything Everywhere All at Once" actress Michelle Yeoh, who was the first Asian to win the Academy Award for Best Actress; Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman in space; and Jim Thorpe, the versatile athlete who became the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal in 1912. Biden also celebrated some key political allies in the Democratic Party, from Representative Jim Clyburn, who rescued his 2020 presidential primary bid with an endorsement in South Carolina, to Nancy Pelosi, who shepherded his legislative agenda through Congress as House of Representatives speaker until last year. Also included are several one-time presidential candidates, former Senator Elizabeth Dole, former Vice President Al Gore, one-time Secretary of State John Kerry and previous New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "After winning the popular vote, he accepted the outcome of a disputed presidential election for the sake of unity and trust in our institutions," Biden said of Gore's concession to George W. Bush in the 2000 election, a jab at ex-President Donald Trump, who has never conceded his 2020 loss to Biden. "That to me was amazing what you did, Al. I won't go into that." The remark drew some laughter. "In my view, the last two guys should be standing here at this podium," Biden said of Gore and Kerry. Also Read | US airstrike in Syria mistakenly killed civilian, not al Qaeda leader, Pentagon admits Bloomberg, a billionaire businessman who strayed from the Republican Party he once called home, may become an important financial backer of the president's 2024 reelection campaign. Biden also honored Father Greg Boyle, a Catholic priest who founded the gang intervention program Homeboy Industries; Opal Lee, an activist who pushed for Juneteenth to be a holiday marking the end of slavery in the United States; Senator Frank Lautenberg, a consumer safety advocate; astrophysicist Jane Rigby; United Farm Workers president Teresa Romero; LGBT advocate Judy Shepard; and Clarence B. Jones, who helped draft Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

Biden awards the Medal of Freedom to Katie Ledecky, Michelle Yeoh and 15 others

US President Barack Obama awarded vice president Joe Biden America&#39;s highest civilian honour on Thursday, in an emotional surprise ceremony at the White House.

Biden was reduced to tears as the president in his last days in office surprised him by announcing he would be awarding the 74-year-old the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In remarks billed as a joint farewell to family, friends and staff before they leave the White House next week, Obama described Biden as &quot;the finest vice-president we have ever seen&quot; and a &quot;lion of American history&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;So, Joe, for your faith in your fellow Americans, for your love of country, and for your lifetime of service that will endure through the generations, I&#39;d like to ask the military aid to join us on stage. For the final time as president, I am pleased to award our nation&#39;s highest civilian honour, the presidential Medal of Freedom.&quot;

Biden&#39;s jaw dropped, he rolled his head back and turned his face away from the audience to wipe away the tears.

After composing himself and receiving the medal, Biden stepped up to the dais and looked around the room in search of his chief of staff -- and fired him, in jest, for not giving him an&nbsp;early warning.

&quot;I had no inkling,&quot; Biden said.

&quot;Mr President, I&#39;m indebted to you. I&#39;m indebted to your friendship. I&#39;m indebted to your family,&quot; he said.

(AFP)

Biden's jaw dropped, he rolled his head back and turned his face away from the audience to wipe away the tears

US President Barack Obama awarded vice president Joe Biden America's highest civilian honour on Thursday, in an emotional surprise ceremony at the White House. Biden was reduced to tears as the president in his last days in office surprised him by announcing he would be awarding the 74-year-old the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In remarks billed as a joint farewell to family, friends and staff before they leave the White House next week, Obama described Biden as "the finest vice-president we have ever seen" and a "lion of American history". "So, Joe, for your faith in your fellow Americans, for your love of country, and for your lifetime of service that will endure through the generations, I'd like to ask the military aid to join us on stage. For the final time as president, I am pleased to award our nation's highest civilian honour, the presidential Medal of Freedom." Biden's jaw dropped, he rolled his head back and turned his face away from the audience to wipe away the tears. After composing himself and receiving the medal, Biden stepped up to the dais and looked around the room in search of his chief of staff -- and fired him, in jest, for not giving him an early warning. "I had no inkling," Biden said. "Mr President, I'm indebted to you. I'm indebted to your friendship. I'm indebted to your family," he said. (AFP)

Obama surprises Biden with Medal of Freedom

Ellen DeGenneres pulled off a star-studded Mannequin Challenge video at the White House on on Tuesday (November 22).

The chat show host and media mogul was among 21 people at the iconic residence being awarded the 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom -- the highest civilian honor in the United States.

Others taking part in the ceremony at the East Room of the White House were rock star Bruce Springsteen, Motown soul singer Diana Ross, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, former basketball champions Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and actors Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro and Robert Redford.

The medal is given annually to people who have made outstanding contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.

DeGeneres saw the event as the ideal opportunity to immortalize the moment and embrace the internet video trend at the same time.

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Ellen DeGeneres creates an epic Mannequin Challenge at The White House with the likes of Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, Bruce Springsteen, Bill Gates and others. (WION)
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This is not the first time she has used a social media trend to capture an iconic moment. Her Oscars selfie in 2014 which featured the likes of Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper broke records and became the most retweeted Tweet ever. 
 
(Reuters)

This is not the first time she has used a social media trend to capture an iconic moment

Ellen DeGenneres pulled off a star-studded Mannequin Challenge video at the White House on on Tuesday (November 22). The chat show host and media mogul was among 21 people at the iconic residence being awarded the 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom -- the highest civilian honor in the United States. Others taking part in the ceremony at the East Room of the White House were rock star Bruce Springsteen, Motown soul singer Diana Ross, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, former basketball champions Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and actors Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro and Robert Redford. The medal is given annually to people who have made outstanding contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. DeGeneres saw the event as the ideal opportunity to immortalize the moment and embrace the internet video trend at the same time. Ellen DeGeneres creates an epic Mannequin Challenge at The White House with the likes of Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, Bruce Springsteen, Bill Gates and others. (WION) × This is not the first time she has used a social media trend to capture an iconic moment. Her Oscars selfie in 2014 which featured the likes of Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper broke records and became the most retweeted Tweet ever. (Reuters)

Ellen DeGeneres pulls off Mannequin Challenge at the White House

US President Barack Obama awarded the 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom -- the highest civilian honour in the United States -- to 21 key figures at a star-studded ceremony at the White House on Tuesday.

Obama presented the prestigious medal to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda for philanthropic work, former basketball players Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and actors Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro and Robert Redford.

&quot;It&#39;s useful when you think about this incredible collection of people to realize that this is what makes us the greatest nation on earth,&quot; Obama said.

The medal is given annually to those who have made outstanding contributions to the national interests of the United States, to security, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavours.

Other recipients this year were rock star Bruce Springsteen, soul singer Diana Ross, Native American community leader Elouise Cobell and NASA moon landing computer scientist Margaret H. Hamilton.

TV talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, who was also awarded the medal, conducted a &quot;mannequin challenge&quot;, a video that features people frozen in place, with the recipients.

Obama leaves office in January after eight years, with Republican businessman Donald Trump taking charge. 
 
(Reuters)

The medal is given annually to those who have made outstanding contributions to the national interests of the US

US President Barack Obama awarded the 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom -- the highest civilian honour in the United States -- to 21 key figures at a star-studded ceremony at the White House on Tuesday. Obama presented the prestigious medal to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda for philanthropic work, former basketball players Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and actors Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro and Robert Redford. "It's useful when you think about this incredible collection of people to realize that this is what makes us the greatest nation on earth," Obama said. The medal is given annually to those who have made outstanding contributions to the national interests of the United States, to security, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavours. Other recipients this year were rock star Bruce Springsteen, soul singer Diana Ross, Native American community leader Elouise Cobell and NASA moon landing computer scientist Margaret H. Hamilton. TV talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, who was also awarded the medal, conducted a "mannequin challenge", a video that features people frozen in place, with the recipients. Obama leaves office in January after eight years, with Republican businessman Donald Trump taking charge. (Reuters)

Tom Hanks, Bill Gates, Michael Jordan among Obama's Medal of Freedom recipients

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Biden awards the Medal of Freedom to Katie Ledecky, Michelle Yeoh and 15 others

Obama surprises Biden with Medal of Freedom

Ellen DeGeneres pulls off Mannequin Challenge at the White House

Tom Hanks, Bill Gates, Michael Jordan among Obama's Medal of Freedom recipients