Presidential Citizens Medal
| Presidential Citizens Medal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Medal |
| Awarded for | "Exemplary deeds or services [performed] for his or her country or fellow citizens." |
| Presented by | President of the United States |
| Eligibility | Citizens of the United States |
| Status | Active |
| Established | 1969 |
| First awarded | 1973 |
 Ribbon of the medal | |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Presidential Medal of Freedom |
| Next (lower) | Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor |
The Presidential Citizens Medal is an award bestowed by the president of the United States. It is the second-highest civilian award in the United States and is second only to the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Established by executive order on November 13, 1969, by President Richard Nixon, it recognizes an individual "who has performed exemplary deeds or services for his or her country or fellow citizens." Only United States citizens are eligible for the medal, which may be awarded posthumously.
The medal is a disc of gilt and enamel, based on the seal of the president of the United States, with the eagle surrounded by a wreath of leaves. The medal is suspended on a ribbon, dark blue with a light blue central stripe and white edge stripes. Despite being a civilian award, it may be worn on some military uniforms.[1]
Recipients
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Hubert Dickey Ballantine and Martin Mathews were jointly awarded the 1981 Citizens Medal as founders of the Mathews-Dickey Boy's Club.
The teachers Rachel D'Avino, Anne Marie Murphy, Lauren Rousseau, and Victoria Soto and school administrators Mary Sherlach and Dawn Hochsprung, who perished in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting defending their students, were jointly awarded the 2012 Citizens Medal posthumously.[5]
Most of the recipients of the 2023 Citizens Medal were awarded for their respective roles in the 2020 United States presidential election or their response to the subsequent January 6 United States Capitol attack in 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their awards were delayed in 2021 and 2022.
See also
[edit]
- Awards and decorations of the United States government
- List of awards for volunteerism and community service
References
[edit]- ^ "5301 - 5319 Awards".
- ^ Coalliance RUART00235.pdf Page 4 Archived 2015-04-30 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Biden honors police officers and election workers 2 years after the Capitol attack". whitehouse.gov. January 6, 2023. Retrieved 2023-06-21 – via NPR.
- ^ "President Biden Announces Recipients of the Presidential Citizens Medal". The White House. 2025-01-02. Archived from the original on 2025-01-02. Retrieved 2025-01-03.
- ^ "Obama to Honor Recipients of the 2012 Citizens Medal". whitehouse.gov. February 15, 2013. Retrieved February 15, 2013 – via National Archives.
External links
[edit]
- Nixon, Richard (November 13, 1969). – via Wikisource.
- The White House - Presidential Citizens Medal Criteria
- The White House - "President Clinton Awards the Presidential Citizens Medals"
- Library Thing - Presidential Citizens Medal; Archived 2009-02-10 at the Wayback Machine