(USNewsReport.org) – The Presidential Medal of Freedom wasn’t always known as it is today. It was originally just the Medal of Freedom, created by President Truman to honor people who’d shown exceptional service during World War II. It wouldn’t be until 1963, when President Kennedy signed Executive Order 11085, that the name would change.
The Medal Received
The first time an American citizen received the honor, it was awarded to Anna Rosenburg, an immigrant from Hungary. She served as the regional manager and director of the Social Security Board in its early years. She would eventually go on to become regional director for the War Manpower Commission in 1942 and serve as a special envoy to Europe for Truman and Franklin D. Roosevelt during the last year of World War II.
It wasn’t until Dwight D. Eisenhower was president that Rosenburg would receive the honor. On October 29th, 1945 she was presented the Medal of Freedom by Secretary of War Robert P. Patterson.
Undergoing Change
In 1952, President Truman expanded The Medal of Freedom and those who could award the highest civilian honor. However, in 1963, President John F. Kennedy made it so the Medal of Freedom was to be awarded exclusively by the President of the United States, earning it the name “Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
Not only did President Kennedy change who could award the medal, he also altered who could receive it. Anyone who showed meritorious contribution to national interests and the security of the US, world peace, private, or public feats, or cultural endeavors became eligible.
Awards Reflect Ideals
Most of the Presidential Medal of Freedom medals awarded go to living people. On occasion, several of these medals have also gone to deceased people. John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. are examples of two people to receive the medal posthumously.
More often than not, these medals are awarded to people who are aligned with the current president’s ideology and beliefs. For example, President Donald Trump awarded Rush Limbaugh, conservative radio icon, and Edwin Meese III, who served as a cabinet member under Ronald Reagan’s administration.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest honor a civilian can earn and changes it’s undergone have only strengthened the award’s meaning. The fact it can only come from the President of the United States just adds to its honor.
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