Sketching impressive contributions to society in intensely personal terms, President Barack Obama presented the Medal of Freedom to more than a dozen political and cultural greats Tuesday, including farmworker union trailblazer Dolores Huerta.
Other honorees included rocker Bob Dylan, astronaut John Glenn and novelist Toni Morrison.
In awarding the nation's highest civilian honor to 13 recipients, living and dead, the president took note of the overflow crowd in the East Room and said it was "a testament to how cool this group is. Everybody wanted to check 'em out."
Huerta is co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers of America. Obama recalled reading about Huerta when he was starting out as a community organizer.
Obama spoke of his personal connection to a number of this year's recipients, calling them "my heroes individually." READ MORE
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