Civil rights attorney Fred Gray receives the nation’s highest honor
Fred Gray, an attorney behind major legal cases of the civil rights era, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom Thursday, the nation’s highest civilian award.
“From the very beginning, I’ve known that there is no one more deserving of our nation’s highest civilian honor than Attorney Gray whose trailblazing work helped end segregation and advance a more equitable future,” said Alabama Congresswoman Terri Sewell.
Sewell has been advocating for Gray to receive the award.
Fred Gray was born in Montgomery and dedicated his life to seeking justice for Black people in the courtroom. He’s most known for representing Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, NAACP and victims of the Tuskegee Syphilis study.
At age 91, Gray is still practicing law.
Among the 16 other recipients of the medal was civil rights activist Diane Nash. Nash was born in Chicago and is most known for co-founding the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Through her leadership in SNCC, she helped lead the Freedom Rides, Selma Voting Rights Movement and lunch counter sit-ins.
King described her as “the driving spirit in the nonviolent assault on segregation at lunch counters.”
“Unshakeable courage and leadership, Diane Nash, shapes some of the most important civil rights efforts in American history,” said President Biden during the ceremony.
It wasn’t until years after the civil rights era that Nash received recognition for her work.
Nash continues to be an advocate for nonviolent movements.
Aparna Nancherla is tapping into ancestral rage
Anxiety has always played a major role in Aparna Nancherla's comedy. She spoke with Rachel about growing into her rage and feeling godlike when she's alone.
Scientists are developing artificial blood that could save lives in emergencies
A research team has successfully tested a blood substitute in animals, and human trials may not be far off. The powdered blood could help medics respond faster in a crisis.
I didn’t know I needed the new Billy Joel documentary
NPR critic Linda Holmes has been a Billy Joel fan since the '80s. HBO's new two-part documentary still taught her something new about his life — and provided a chance to consider the role of his music in her own.
Trump’s EPA now says greenhouse gases don’t endanger people
The Trump administration wants to reverse a 2009 EPA finding that greenhouse gases endanger people. The finding is the basis for much of the United States' climate change regulations.
What borrowers should know about student loan changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill
Now that President Trump has signed Republicans' massive overhaul of the federal student loan program, we explain what's set to change.
State Dept. cuts China experts as administration says countering Beijing top priority
The State Department has shuttered the team involved in South China Sea security, getting rid of top experts on the subject at a time when the administration says security in the region is a priority.