WASHINGTON>> In the East Room of the White House, President Joe Biden bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 19 of the most famous names in politics, sports, entertainment, civil rights, LGBTQ+ advocacy and science on Saturday.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton aroused a standing ovation from the crowd as she received her medal. Democratic philanthropist George Soros, Denver tech entrepreneur and philanthropist Tim Gill and actor-director Denzel Washington also were awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor in a White House ceremony.

Gill’s advocacy on behalf of gay and lesbian Americans was recognized.

“He has helped lead the fight against HIV-AIDS, laid the groundwork for marriage equality and so much more,” Gill’s medal citation reads. “His strong character, unwavering resolve and indisputable effectiveness in fighting for love and equality for all make him a key figure in our nation’s story of freedom.”

Gill grew up in the western suburbs of Denver and founded his software start-up, Quark, in 1981 after graduating from the University of Colorado.

In 1999 he sold his stake in the company and parlayed his profits into activism, becoming an influential national voice for gay rights and donating hundreds of millions of dollars to LGBTQ+ causes through his charitable foundation.

Four medals were awarded posthumously. They went to George W. Romney, who served as a Michigan governor and secretary of housing and urban development; former Attorney General and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy; Ash Carter, a former secretary of defense; and Fannie Lou Hamer, who founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and laid the groundwork for the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Major philanthropists receiving the award include Spanish American chef José Andrés, whose World Central Kitchen charity has become one of the world’s most recognized food relief organizations, and Bono, the front man for rock band U2 and a social justice activist.

Sports and entertainment stars recognized include professional soccer player Lionel Messi, who did not attend the event; retired Los Angeles Lakers basketball legend and businessman Earvin “Magic” Johnson; actor Michael J. Fox, who is an outspoken advocate for Parkinson’s disease research; and science educator Bill Nye.

Other awardees include conservationist Jane Goodall; Vogue Magazine editor-in-chief Anna Wintour; American fashion designer Ralph Lauren; American Film Institute founder George Stevens Jr.; and David Rubenstein, co-founder of The Carlyle Group global investment firm.