Nancy Pelosi Set to Be Honored in the Hudson Valley

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi is among those receiving prestigious awards at a special ceremony in Hyde Park, NY.

Nancy Pelosi has served as the 52nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the first woman elected Speaker and the first woman to lead a major political party in either chamber of Congress, leading the House Democrats from 2003 to 2023.

Until Kamala Harris became Vice President in 2021, Pelosi was also the highest-ranking woman in the presidential line of succession in U.S. history, as the speaker of the House is second in the line of succession. Pelosi, along with others, will be receiving the 2023 Four Freedoms Award.

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What is the Four Freedoms Award?

The Four Freedoms Award is an annual award presented to "those men and women whose achievements have demonstrated a commitment to those principles which U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt proclaimed in his Four Freedoms Speech to the United States Congress on January 6, 1941, as essential to democracy: "freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, freedom from fear."

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The Roosevelt Institute has awarded the Four Freedoms Medals to some of the most distinguished Americans and world citizens of our time. Past recipients of the Four Freedom Awards have included international luminaries, visionaries, and political re-aligners. Roosevelt Institute's 2023 Four Freedom Awards Honors Champions of Democracy. This year’s ceremony will take in Hyde Park, NY, at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.

Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Nancy Pelosi Being Presented With Freedom Medal

The speaker emerita of the US House, will be honored with the overarching Freedom Medal for her lifetime of service to our nation.

As the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House, she has inspired countless women and girls across the nation, and her legislative contributions have shaped the political landscape and left a lasting impact. The ceremony takes place on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 11 am at at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum and will be live streamed through the Roosevelt Institute website. More info here.

Other award honors being given out at the ceremony include the following:

Freedom of Speech and Expression: Tracie Hall, executive director of the American Library Association, Tracie Hall will be honored for defending libraries, advocating for literacy, and working to preserve and expand equal access to information.

Freedom of Worship: Dr. Walter Earl Fluker, Distinguished Professor of the Howard Thurman Center at the Hartford International University for Religion and Peace, will be honored for carrying on the legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Howard Thurman—from helping students navigate the ethical questions of today to being a thought leader for Black churches.

Freedom from Want: Ady Barkan, creator of the Fed Up campaign and founder & co-executive director of Be A Hero, Ady Barkan will be honored for his unapologetic work fighting for freedom from economic want and for a more just health-care system in the United States.

Freedom from Fear: The Honorable Bennie Thompson, US House representative, will be honored for his leadership skills and courage as chair of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol.

Take This Fascinating History Crawl Through Hyde Park, NY

Hyde Park, NY is located in Dutchess County, NY. It is the home to several prominent figures that played a role in how the world was once formed. Even though these members of society have passed on, their stories and legacies continue in our area.

I have had the chance to visit these historical sites and will always remember what each one meant to me, what I learned on the tours and how guests can continue to visit in 2023.