Bob Dylan to Receive Presidential Medal of Freedom

On Thursday (April 26) the White House announced that Bob Dylan was among the 13 people chosen to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The nation’s highest honor that can be awarded to a civilian, the Medal of Freedom is awarded to “individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”

The press release issued by the White House cited Dylan’s “rich and poetic lyrics,” as well as the “considerable influence on the civil rights movement of the 1960s and has had significant impact on American culture over the past five decades.” We presume they are referring to classics like ‘Blowin’ in the Wind,’ ‘Like a Rolling Stone‘ and ‘Tangled Up in Blue,’ while intentionally overlooking ‘Wiggle Wiggle’ and the 1987 movie ‘Hearts of Fire.’

This is not the first time Dylan’s career has been recognized in Washington, D.C. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2009 by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Kennedy Center Honors in 1997. Dylan also received the Commander in the Order of the Arts and Letters from the government of France in 1990.

Other names on this year’s list of honorees include astronaut John Glenn, Girl Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Low, author Toni Morrison and University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt. The award ceremony will take place in the late spring.