Philadelphia, PA (October 27, 2023) – The National Constitution Center presented its 35th annual Liberty Medal to acclaimed journalist Judy Woodruff and patriotic philanthropist and business leader David Rubenstein for their inspiring work in modeling and promoting civil dialogue about the shared values of liberty that unite Americans. Woodruff and Rubenstein received the award at a ceremony overlooking Independence Mall on October 27, 2023.
“The exemplary work of these two worthy Liberty Medal recipients is an inspiration to us all. They have shown us that in order to further the founders’ desire of a more perfect Union, we must look back to that great experiment, the system of government created to serve ‘We the People’ and not the other way around,” said Jeffrey Rosen, Center president and CEO. “We must also look to the future and how we can increase civic education for all Americans, and in turn, promote civil dialogue to address the issues that face us as a nation.
“May Judy and David’s contributions to the American idea serve as a call to action for us all to promote light and learning throughout our great nation for generations to come,” he continued.
“As someone who has reported on American politics across this country for more than 50 years, and who has seen the collapse of so much of the journalism infrastructure I too long took for granted, I am more certain than ever that our democracy depends on, indeed is built on, the foundation of a free, robust and vigilant press,” said award-winning journalist Judy Woodruff upon receiving the Liberty Medal. “We look around the world and see most countries don’t have what we have. But our founding fathers recognized it, the men who wrote the Constitution, and there’s no better time than now to re-dedicate ourselves to fulfilling the vision they laid out, here, in this city, near this place.”
Woodruff spent her illustrious career in network, cable, and public television news protecting and defending First Amendment freedoms. Her newest project, “America at a Crossroads,” is dedicated to understanding the divisions facing our country and how to heal them.
“I accept this award on behalf of the high school teachers, the civics teachers and people who are preserving documents, preserving buildings, working in the park service, and doing other things to make sure that Americans know as much about our history as possible,” said patriotic philanthropist David Rubenstein upon accepting the Liberty Medal. “I’m really their representative here tonight. While I’m honored to get the award, I really think I’m accepting it for people who are engaged in educating Americans about our history so hopefully we can have a more informed citizenry.”
The co-founder and co-chairman of the Carlyle Group, Rubenstein has worked tirelessly to preserve American history and improve our country’s civic knowledge. He has made transformative gifts for the preservation and restoration of iconic spaces and American documents, the likes of which he has loaned to civic institutions from the National Archives to the National Constitution Center. He also serves as the host of multiple programs, and is the author of four books, including The American Story and The American Experiment.
The Liberty Medal, established in 1988 and hosted by the National Constitution Center since 2006, recognizes individuals who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe. Recent recipients have included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, U.S. Senator John McCain, U.S. Representative John Lewis, the Dalai Lama, and Malala Yousafzai.
The Liberty Medal prize of $100,000 is sponsored by Ira Lubert and Pamela Estadt, who have supported the award for more than a decade. The Liberty Medal is also made possible by support from corporations, foundations, and individuals with proceeds going to further the work of the National Constitution Center.
A press kit with images, video, and transcripts from tonight’s ceremony can be found HERE and will be updated throughout the evening.
About the Liberty Medal
The Liberty Medal was established in 1988 to commemorate the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution. Given annually, the medal honors individuals and organizations of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe. A full list of all past recipients is available here: constitutioncenter.org/liberty-medal/recipients.
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About the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia brings together people of all ages and perspectives, across America and around the world, to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. A private, nonprofit organization, the Center serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate, fulfilling its congressional charter “to disseminate information about the U.S. Constitution on a nonpartisan basis.” As the Museum of We the People, the Center brings the Constitution to life for visitors of all ages through interactive programs and exhibits. As America’s Town Hall, the Center brings the leading conservative and liberal thought leaders together to debate the Constitution on all media platforms. As a Headquarters for Civic Education, the Center delivers the best educational programs and online resources that inspire citizens and engage all Americans in learning about the U.S. Constitution. For more information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.
