Mildred Dresselhaus
Jewish-American physicist, materials scientist, and nanotechnologist known as the “Queen of Carbon Science.”
Tag Archives: Presidential Medal of Freedom
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Margaret Hamilton
American computer scientist, systems engineer, and business owner; director of MIT Instrumentation Laboratory’s Software Engineering Division, a crucial role in developing onboard flight software for NASA’s Apollo program.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver
Eunice Mary Kennedy Shriver was a key figure in the Kennedy family, known for her philanthropy. She founded the Special Olympics, a sports organization for those with physical and intellectual disabilities, earning her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984 for her dedicated efforts.
Barbara Mikulski
American politician who served as a U.S. Senator from Maryland from 1987 to 2017, making her the longest-serving woman in the history of the United States Congress at the time of her retirement.
Annie Dodge Wauneka
Navajo leader and activist
Katherine Johnson
Katherine Johnson was an African-American mathematician who made contributions to NASA’s space program. She was featured in the book and film Hidden Figures.
Sandra Day O’Connor
Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female Supreme Court Justice of the United States, was one of the most influential Americans of the 1980s and 1990s.
Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno has influenced the entertainment industry for over 70 years as an actress, singer, and dancer. After earning the four major entertainment awards: an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, Moreno became the first Latina woman to have an “E.G.O.T.” In 2004, she was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her many contributions to the arts.
Gloria Steinem
From her humble Ohio childhood, Gloria Steinem grew up to become an acclaimed journalist, trailblazing feminist, and one of the most visible, passionate leaders and spokeswomen of the women’s rights movement in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Billie Jean King
One of the greatest tennis players of all time and a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient for her advocacy for women in sports and LGBTQ rights, Billie Jean King won 39 Grand Slam titles in her tennis career and led the fight for equal pay in tennis.