Living Legends Americans Honored for Creative Contributions The Library of Congress honored more than 80 "Living Legends" as part of its Bicentennial celebration. Medals were bestowed by Dr. Billington during a National Birthday Party and Concert on the East Lawn of the U.S. Capitol.
"During its yearlong celebration of its Bicentennial, the Library of Congress is recognizing a number of Americans whose varied creative contributions to American life have made them living legends," he said
"Selected by the Library's curators and subject specialists, those honored include artists, writers, activists, filmmakers, physicians, entertainers, sports figures and public servants. Each in his or her own way has advanced and embodied the quintessentially American ideal of individual creativity, conviction, dedication and exuberance. Their professional accomplishments and sense of commitment have enabled them to provide examples of personal excellence that have benefited others and enriched our nation in a variety of ways."
The list of Living Legends reflects the breadth and diversity of America's cultural and civic heritage, which is mirrored in the Library's unparalleled collections of more than 119 million items in some 460 languages. Among those in 10 disciplines who have been selected are: children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, whose works enrich the Library's Children's Literature collection; author William Styron, who has worked with the Library's Center for the Book to promote literacy and some of whose personal papers are housed in the Library's Manuscript Division; caricaturist Al Hirshfeld, whose craft is honored by the Library's Swann Gallery of Caricature and Cartoon; composer Stephen Sondheim, whose 70th birthday will be celebrated on May 22 at a special musical tribute in the Library's Coolidge Auditorium; filmmaker Steven Spielberg, two of whose films are included in the Library's National Film Registry ("E.T. The Extra- Terrestrial" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark"); percussionist Mickey Hart and folk singer Pete Seeger, who have worked with the Library's American Folklife Center to preserve the nation's musical heritage; and comedian Bob Hope, whose field is being honored on May 10 with the opening of the Library's Bob Hope Gallery of Entertainment.
Living Legends
- Hank Aaron -- baseball player
- Madeleine Albright -- federal official, diplomat, political scientist, educator
- Muhammad Ali -- boxer
- Harry Belafonte -- musician, actor, humanitarian
- Tony Bennett -- singer
- Big Bird -- television star
- Larry Bird -- basketball player
- Herbert Block (Herblock) -- political cartoonist
- Judy Blume -- author
- T. Berry Brazelton -- physician
- Gwendolyn Brooks -- poet
- William F. Buckley Jr. -- magazine editor, writer, television host
- Carol Burnett -- comedian, actor, entertainer, singer
- Benjamin Solomon Carson -- pediatric neurosurgeon
- Benny Carter -- musician, songwriter
- Johnny Cash -- musician, songwriter
- Vinton Cerf -- technology innovator
- Ray Charles -- musician
- Linda Chavez -- public official, political commentator
- Julia Child -- chef, author, television performer
- Beverly Cleary -- author
- David Copperfield -- magician
- Bill Cosby -- actor, entertainer, comedian, philanthropist
- Walter Cronkite -- broadcast journalist
- Merce Cunningham -- choreographer, dancer, dance company director
- Michael DeBakey -- physician, surgeon
- Sylvia A. Earle -- oceanographer
- Marian Wright Edelman -- civil rights activist, human rights advocate
- Ahmet Ertegun -- record company
- Suzanne Farrell -- dancer, executive, teacher
- John Kenneth Galbraith -- economist, author
- Andrew Goodpastor -- retired army officer
- Stephen Jay Gould -- biologist, educator, author
- Katharine Graham -- publisher, chairman of the executive committee of The Washington Post
- Mickey Hart -- musician
- Al Hirshfeld -- caricaturist, illustrator
- Bob Hope -- comedian, entertainer, film star
- Quincy Jones -- musician, composer, arranger, producer, entertainment executive
- Jenette Kahn -- DC Comics (for Superman)
- Max Kampelman -- lawyer, diplomat, educator
- George Kennan -- statesman, author on American diplomatic history
- Jackie Joyner Kersee -- track and field athlete
- B.B. King -- musician
- Billie Jean King -- tennis player
- Jeanne Kirkpatrick -- diplomat
- Ursula LeGuin -- author
- Annie Leibovitz -- photographer
- Carl Lewis -- track and field athlete
- John Lewis -- civil rights activist, member of Congress
- Alan Lomax -- folklorist, ethnomusicologist
- Yo Yo Ma -- musician
- Robert McCloskey -- author, illustrator
- Mark McGwire -- baseball player
- Rita Moreno -- actress, dancer, singer
- Toni Morrison -- author
- Gordon Parks -- photographer
- Katherine Paterson -- author
- I.M. Pei -- architect
- Jaroslav Pelikan -- historian, author
- Itzhak Perlman -- musician
- Colin Powell -- retired U.S. Army General
- Leontyne Price -- opera singer
- Tito Puente -- percussionist, bandleader, arranger
- Sally Ride -- astronaut
- Cal Ripken Jr. -- baseball player
- Fred Rogers -- television star
- Philip Roth -- author
- Martin Scorsese -- filmmaker
- Pete Seeger -- folk singer
- Maurice Sendak -- author
- Bobby Short -- pianist, singer
- Stephen Sondheim -- composer, lyricist
- Steven Spielberg -- filmmaker
- Ralph Stanley -- musician
- Gloria Steinem -- journalist, activist
- Isaac Stern -- musician
- Barbra Streisand -- actor, singer, entertainer, filmmaker
- William Styron -- author Harold Varmus -- government health institutes administrator, educator
- Gwen Verdon -- dancer, actress
- Lew Wasserman -- film, recording and publishing company executive
- Fred Whipple -- astronomer
- Tiger Woods -- golfer
- Herman Wouk -- author
