Presidential Citizens Medal
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 subordinate 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.
Recipients
| Recipient | Year | Notes |
| Rick Rescorla | 2019 | |
| Henry "Hank" Aaron | 2001 | |
| Albert Abramson | 1998 | |
| Clarence Alexander | 2011 | |
| Muhammad Ali | 2001 | |
| Juan Andrade, Jr. | 2001 | |
| Richard Lee Armitage | 1989 | |
| Brooke Astor | 1988 | |
| Hubert Dickey Ballantine | 1981 | |
| Arnold O. Beckman | 1989 | |
| Ezra Taft Benson | 1989 | |
| Mitchell Besser | 2008 | |
| James H. Billington | 2008 | |
| Forrest M. Bird | 2008 | |
| Milly Bloomquist | 2011 | |
| James Scott Brady | 1989 | |
| T. Berry Brazelton | 2012 | |
| Ward Brehm | 2008 | |
| Ruby Bridges | 2001 | |
| Roberta Diaz Brinton | 2010 | |
| Daisy M. Brooks | 2010 | |
| Ronald H. Brown | 2001 | |
| William F. Buckley, Jr. | 1989 | |
| Adam Burke | 2012 | |
| Don R. Cameron | 2001 | |
| Frank C. Carlucci | 1983 | |
| Raymond Castellani | 1995 | |
| Raymond G. Chambers | 2008 | |
| Betty Kwan Chinn | 2010 | |
| Cynthia M. Church | 2010 | |
| Roberto Clemente | 1973 | |
| Bruce Cole | 2008 | |
| Charles Colson | 2008 | |
| Mary Jo Copeland | 2012 | |
| Carol Coston, O.P. | 2001 | |
| Archibald Cox | 2001 | |
| Chester A. Crocker | 1989 | |
| Arthur Culvahouse Jr. | 1989 | |
| Rachel Davino | 2012 | |
| Joe Delaney | 1983 | |
| Charles DeLisi | 2001 | |
| Bob Dole | 1989 | |
| Michael Dorman | 2012 | |
| General Wayne A. Downing, USA | 2008 | |
| Samuel Nelson Drew | 1995 | |
| Kenneth M. Duberstein | 1989 | |
| Lawrence Eagleburger | 1991 | |
| Vijaya Lakshmi Emani | 2011 | |
| Jaime Escalante | 1988 | |
| Mike Feinberg | 2008 | |
| Edwin J. Feulner | 1989 | |
| Arnold Fisher | 2008 | |
| Max M. Fisher | 1989 | |
| Zachary Fisher | 1995 | |
| Marlin Fitzwater | 1993 | |
| John P. Foley, S.J. | 2008 | |
| Malcolm S. Forbes | 1989 | |
| Donald R. Fortier | 1989 | |
| Robert C. Frasure | 1995 | |
| Robert M. Gates | 1992 | |
| Robert P. George | 2008 | |
| Susan Retik Ger | 2010 | |
| Dana Gioia | 2008 | |
| Maria Gomez | 2012 | |
| C. Boyden Gray | 1993 | |
| Jack Greenberg | 2001 | |
| Elinor C. Guggenheimer | 1997 | |
| Richard N. Haass | 1991 | |
| Dorothy Height | 1989 | |
| Charlton Heston | 1989 | |
| David Hermelin | 2000 | |
| John S. Herrington | 1989 | |
| Samuel J. Heyman | 2008 | |
| Colonel William R. Higgins | 1992 | |
| David D. Ho | 2001 | |
| Dawn Hochsprung | 2012 | |
| Don Hodel | 1989 | |
| Mary K. Hoodhood | 2010 | |
| Leamon Hunt | 1984 | |
| Janice Jackson | 2012 | |
| Pamela Green Jackson | 2012 | |
| Bernice Young Jones | 1996 | |
| I. King Jordan | 2001 | |
| Herman Kahn | 1989 | |
| Max Kampelman | 1989 | |
| Dennis Keogh | 1984 | |
| Richard James Kerr | 1991 | |
| Robert M. Kimmitt | 1991 | |
| Russell Kirk | 1989 | |
| Lane Kirkland | 1989 | |
| Wendy Kopp | 2008 | |
| Joseph C. Kruzel | 1995 | |
| Donald W. Landry | 2008 | |
| Janice Langbehn | 2011 | |
| Patience Lehrman | 2012 | |
| Dave Levin | 2008 | |
| Anthony Lewis | 2001 | |
| Alan Lovelace | 1981 | |
| Jeanne Manford | 2012 | |
| Adair Margo | 2008 | |
| Robert S. Martin | 2008 | |
| John O. Marsh, Jr. | 1989 | |
| Andrew W. Marshall | 2008 | |
| Martin Mathews | 1981 | |
| Oseola McCarty | 1995 | |
| Kimberly McGuiness | 2010 | |
| Chelle McIntyre-Brewer | 2012 | |
| Richard Meadows | 1995 | |
| Bob Michel | 1989 | |
| Jeffery L. Miller | 2008 | |
| Billy Mills | 2012 | |
| Irene Morgan | 2001 | |
| Erwin Morse | 2008 | |
| Constance Baker Motley | 2001 | |
| Jorge Muñoz | 2010 | |
| Anne Marie Murphy | 2012 | |
| William H. Natcher | 1994 | |
| Lisa Nigro | 2010 | |
| David Paton | 1987 | |
| Claiborne Pell | 1994 | |
| Pete Peterson | 2000 | |
| Mary Ann Phillips | 2010 | |
| General Colin Powell USA | 1989 | |
| Donald E. Powell | 2008 | |
| Elizabeth Cushman Titus Putnam | 2010 | |
| Anne-Imelda M. Radice | 2008 | |
| Arnold Lewis Raphel | 1989 | |
| Susan Retik | 2010 | |
| Rozanne L. Ridgeway | 1989 | |
| Helen Rodriguez-Trias | 2001 | |
| Adele Rogers | 1973 | |
| John F. W. Rogers | 1985 | |
| Edward L. Rowny | 1989 | |
| Edward Roybal | 2001 | |
| Robert Rubin | 2001 | |
| Warren Rudman | 2001 | |
| Charles Ruff | 2001 | |
| 2010 | ||
| Lauren Rousseau | 2012 | |
| Elbert Rutan | 1986 | |
| Richard Rutan | 1986 | |
| Rabbi Arthur Schneier | 2001 | |
| Timothy R. Scully, C.S.C. | 2008 | |
| Eli J. Segal | 2001 | |
| John F. Seiberling | 2001 | |
| John Sengstacke | 2001 | |
| Mary Sherlach | 2012 | |
| Terry Shima | 2012 | |
| The Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth | 2001 | |
| Gary Sinise | 2008 | |
| Victoria Leigh Soto | 2012 | |
| Larry Speakes | 1987 | |
| Stuart K. Spencer | 1989 | |
| Adrian St. John | 1995 | |
| William Howard Taft IV | 1989 | |
| Elizabeth Taylor | 2001 | |
| Edward Teller | 1989 | |
| Strom Thurmond | 1989 | |
| Richard H. Truly | 1989 | |
| Armando Valladares | 1989 | |
| John Volpe | 1983 | |
| Vernon A. Walters | 1989 | |
| Admiral James D. Watkins, USN | 2008 | |
| Raymond Weeks | 1982 | |
| Geo. J. Weiss Jr. | 2010 | |
| John C. Whitehead | 1989 | |
| Charles Z. Wick | 1989 | |
| Marion Wiesel | 2001 | |
| Harris Wofford | 2012 | |
| Robert L. Woodson, Sr. | 2008 | |
| Patrisha Wright | 2001 | |
| Joseph R. Wright, Jr. | 1989 | |
| Sidney R. Yates | 1993 | |
| Jeana Yeager | 1986 | |
| Tony Zale | 1990 |
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 Davino, 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.