Earvin “Magic” Johnson is interviewed at a rally with Vice President Kamala Harris in Flint, Mich., on Oct. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
On Saturday, President Joe Biden awarded 19 individuals with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, including two Michigan natives: basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson and late former Gov. George W. Romney.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian honor in the nation, and is presented to those who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.
“President Biden believes great leaders keep the faith, give everyone a fair shot, and put decency above all else. These nineteen individuals are great leaders who have made America and the world a better place. They are great leaders because they are good people who have made extraordinary contributions to their country and the world,” the White House said in a statement Saturday.
Johnson is a former Lansing resident who led the Michigan State University Spartans to the 1979 NCAA Championship before he was drafted to join the Los Angeles Lakers. Johnson would lead the team to five championships. During his 13 seasons in the NBA, Johnson was a 12-time all-star, three-time NBA Finals MVP and three-time league MVP. While Johnson retired from the league in 1991 following an HIV diagnosis, he would return to the Lakers in 1996 before announcing his permanent retirement later that year.
Alongside his basketball career, Johnson founded the Magic Johnson Foundation in 1991 which works to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS, treatment and prevention in addition to support the educational, health and social needs of underserved communities.
Romney was the 43rd governor of Michigan, serving three, two-year terms from 1963 to 1969. Romney previously served as the chairman and president of the American Motors Corporation. While Romney launched an unsuccessful bid for the 1968 Republican presidential nomination, he would become President Richard Nixon’s Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, serving until 1972. He died in 1995, and is buried in Fairview Cemetery in Brighton.
During his time as governor, Romney oversaw sweeping changes to the Michigan state constitution, advocating for the inclusion of both civil rights protections and a commission to enforce them. Through these changes, Michigan became the first state to create a civil rights commission with constitutional authority.
The medal was accepted by Romney’s son, Mitt Romney, unsuccessfully challenged President Barack Obama in the 2012 election and served as a Republican U.S. senator for Utah from Jan 3, 2019 through Jan. 3. Ronna McDaniel, one of George Romney’s grandchildren, previously served as the chair of the Republican National Committee and the Michigan Republican Party.
Other recipients honored Saturday included former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, chef José Andrés and actor Denzel Washington. Posthumous awards were given to former U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer.
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