Ellis Island Medal of Honor
The Ellis Island Medal of Honor was founded by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO) and intended to pay homage to the immigrant experience. The medals honor the contribution made to America by immigrants and the legacy they left behind in the successes of their children and grand-children. Many Medalists take pride in documenting their family's entry to the country via Ellis Island. The medals are awarded to native-born and naturalized U.S. citizens from various ethnic backgrounds. The honorees are said to "exemplify outstanding qualities in both their personal and professional lives, while continuing to preserve the richness of their particular heritage."[1]
The medals were established at the time of NECO's founding in 1986. A ceremony is held each May on Ellis Island. All branches of the United States Armed Forces traditionally participate. Both the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate have officially recognized the Ellis Island Medals of Honor. Each year’s recipients are read into the Congressional Record.[2] The Great Hall where immigrants were once processed hosts the gala dinner which follows the ceremony. Approximately 100 Medalists are honored each year. Past Medalists include six Presidents, as well as Nobel Prize winners and leaders of industry, education, the arts, sports and government.
The Ellis Island Medals of Honor celebrate the diversity of American life, honoring not only individuals, but the pluralism and democracy that have enabled ancestry groups to maintain their identities while becoming integral parts of the American Way of life.
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[edit] Notable medalists
Notable Medalists include:
- Elaine Chao
- Michael Bolton
- Stewart F. Lane
- James F Comley
- Jerry Lewis
- Mary Lou Retton
- Muhammad Ali
- Donald E. Washkewicz
- Goli Ameri
- Tony Blair (International Award. The first non-American to receive award)
- George H.W. Bush
- Ǵorǵija Atanasoski
- Bill Clinton
- Hillary Rodham Clinton
- Peter A. Koo
- Rita Cosby
- Joe DiMaggio
- Mike Zafirovski
- Michael Finnegan
- Renée Fleming
- Gerald Ford
- Valentin Fuster
- Denis O'Brien
- Bob Hope
- Henry Kissinger
- Oren Lyons[3]
- Admiral Robert J. Natter, USN (Ret.)
- Michael Novak
- Lou Papan
- Peter Romary
- William E. Simon
- Martin Scorsese
- Rosanna Scotto
- Frank Sinatra
- Donald Trump
- Gloria Estefan
- Jane Seymour (actress)
- Sudhir K Gupta
- Alan B. Miller
- Noubar Afeyan
- Doris Roberts
- John O'Hurley
- Salvatore Giunta
- Bill Gallo
- Bruno Sammartino
- Don Shula
- Tom Arnold (International Award)
- Colonel Matthew Bogdanos
- Fauja Singh
- Vince DeMentri
[edit] 2011 Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients
Gina Addeo, Setrak O. Agonian, Margaret Ajemian Ahnert, Carlos E. Alvarez, Jamid Ansari, Michael Aram, Tom Arnold, Kevork B. Bardakjian, PhD, Stanley M. Mergman, Tejinder Singh Bindra, Col. Matthew Bogdanos, Esq., USMC (Ret.), John A. Brennan, MD, Paul A. Brinklet, Jerry Cahill, Hon. Salvatore J. Cassano, Anthony D. Chimino, Steve S. Chon, Jim Cligton, Darryle D. Clott, James F. Comley, Giancarlo Crupi, MD, James Jian Cui, MD, PhD, Supt. Joseph A. D'Amico, Marty D. Davidson, Joseph F. Dean, ADM Bruce DeMars, USN (Ret.), Vince DeMentri, Nitin V. Doshi, DDS, Pierre Dulaine, CAPT Linda L. Fagan, USCG, David Fitzpatrick, PhD, Bill V. Gallo, Cyril E. Geacintov, PhD, John Giuffre, SSgt. Salvatore A. Giunta, USA, Joseph R. Haiek, Dorothy J. harber, Scott H. Herman, Fernando J. Hernandez, John M. Iacono, O. Wayne Isom, MD, Joel P. Jahraus, MD, MG Nathaniel James, AUS, Hon. Peter J. Koutoujian, SR., Cecilia M. La Pietra, OP, Wai Lap Leung, MD, Jeffrey E. Levine, Jerry Lewis, Weining Liang, MD, Joanie M. Madden, Babu Rao Mandava, Joseph A. Martorana, Anthony J. Melita, Joseph S. Micallef, JD, Radmila Milentijevic, PhD, LTG John F. Mulholland, Jr., USA, Francis Najafi, Vali R. Nasr, PhD, Younes Nazarian, Denis O'Brien, James G. O'Connor, John O'Hurley, Gail Talanian O'Reilly, Harvey E. Oyer, III, Esq., Mustafa Oz, MD, FACS, BG Frederick M. Padilla, USMC, Ra. Y. Park, Patrick M. Park, William L. Perocchi, Vladimir Prodanovich, Philip Pumerantz, PhD, Fahim Rahim, MD FASN, Naeem Rahim, MD, Ali C. Razi, Frank L. Regnante, Doris Roberts, Michele M. Rollings, Esq., Thomas Roma, Bruno L. Sammartino, Samin K. Sharma, MD, Kevin Chang Yao Shih, Donald F. Shula, CMSgt Darren A. Silsbee, USAF, Susan Sommer-Luarca, Joel Szabat, George Veras, Manu K. Vora, PhD, MBA, Joseph M. Walsh, Shirley Wang, Richard P. Wei, Roger L. Williams, MD, Walter W. Wise, Jr., Chris Jia Shu Xu, Madlena Zepter, Philip Zepter, Kenny Weiqun Zhang.
A list of all past medalists can be found at: [1]
[edit] Notes
- ^ http://neco.org/medalists.php
- ^ http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r111:4:./temp/~r111qdQcPH::
- ^ "Department of American Studies Faculty: Oren R. Lyons." University of Buffalo, College of Arts and Sciences. (retrieved 26 Aug 2010)
