Oklahoma-native Jim Thorpe receives posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom

Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony 2024 WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 03: U.S. President Joe Biden walks into the East Room for the Medal of Freedom ceremony at the White House on May 3, 2024 in Washington, DC. President Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation’s highest civilian honor, to 19 individuals including political leaders, civil rights icons and other influential cultural icons. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

By Skyler Cooper

May 03, 2024 at 5:35 pm CDT

President Joe Biden presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 19 recipients on Friday.

Recipients of the nation’s highest civilian honor included Michael Bloomberg, John Kerry, Nancy Pelosi and others.

Oklahoma Olympian Jim Thorpe was also honored by the president.

The White House provided the following information on Thorpe:

“Jim Thorpe (d. 1953) was the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal. The country’s original multi-sport superstar, he went on to play professional football, baseball, and basketball while breaking down barriers on and off the field.”