Obama honors Brooklyn natives Chisholm, Streisand, more
President Barack Obama recognized 17 Americans with the nation’s highest civilian award on Tuesday, including the first African-American woman elected to Congress, one of the greatest catchers in baseball history and a “Funny Girl.”
“Today we celebrate some extraordinary people: innovators, artists and leaders who contribute to America’s strength as a nation,” Obama said.
Obama presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to filmmaker Steven Spielberg, musicians Gloria and Emilio Estefan, singer James Taylor, composer Stephen Sondheim, violinist Itzhak Perlman and actress Barbra Streisand, a Brooklyn native, who won an Academy Award for her performance in the classic film, “Funny Girl.”
The sports honorees were Baseball Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Yogi Berra. Berra, who died in September, was a famed Yankees’ catcher, an 18-time All-Star and 10-time World Series champion. The president noted that Berra also served in World War II. Mays was among the first African-American players in Major League Baseball.