Denzel Washington can now add the Presidential Medal of Freedom to his list of honors. On Friday, President Joe Biden announced the 17 honorees. Public figures are awarded annually for significant contributions to American society, culture, politics, or world peace.
In 1979, Washington began his acting career in the theatre, appearing in off-Broadway productions of William Shakespeare’s ‘Coriolanus‘. He rose to prominence between 1982 and 1988 with the medical drama ‘St. Elsewhere‘. Early film roles for Washington included Norman Jewison’s ‘A Soldier’s Story‘ (1984) and Richard Attenborough’s ‘Cry Freedom’ (1987). Now, the White House will present him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in a July ceremony.
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Presidential Medal Of Freedom For Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington is the only actor or entertainer honored this year. Washington is one of his generation’s most celebrated actors, directors, and producers. The New York Times also named Washington the greatest actor of the twenty-first century in 2020. On July 7, the recipients of the Medal of Freedom will be honored.
The White House shared a statement about the honorees who’ll receive medals from Biden. It stated that the honorees “have overcome significant obstacles to achieve impressive accomplishments in the arts and sciences, dedicated their lives to advocating for the most vulnerable among us, and acted with bravery to drive change in their communities, and across the world, while blazing trails for generations to come.”
Who Are The Other Honorees?
Athletes Simone Biles and Megan Rapinoe will also receive the medals. Religious figures Sister Simone Campbell and Father Alexander Karloutsos are among those honored as well, as are political leaders Gabrielle Giffords and Alan Simpson.
Activists Fred Gray, Diane Nash, and Ral Yzaguirre – the former University of Texas at Brownsville President Julieta Garcia, healthcare worker Sandra Lindsay, Constitution Literacy and National Unity Project founder Khizr Khan, US military leader Wilma Vaught also made the list.
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