This is a program for an award ceremony held on January 19, 1989, during which President Ronald Reagan recognized former United States representative and senator Michael Mansfield of Montana and Secretary of State George P. Shultz with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. First awarded to non-military personnel in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is among the highest honors that a president can bestow on a private citizen. This program is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for White House events from 1980 to 2004.

This is the menu from a luncheon held in recognition of the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The ceremony and luncheon was held on January 19, 1989, with the honor bestowed upon Secretary of State George P. Shultz and former Senator Mike Mansfield of Montana by President Ronald Reagan. Shultz served as President Reagan's secretary of state for the duration of his two terms in office as well as secretary of the treasury during the Richard M. Nixon administration. In addition to serving as a United States Senator, Mansfield was the United States ambassador to Japan from 1977-1988. January 19 marked President Reagan's last day in office following two consecutive terms as president. This menu is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for White House events from 1980 to 2004.

This menu is from a luncheon held in honor of recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The event was held on October 17, 1988 and was hosted by President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan. The honorees for the award included entertainer Pearl Bailey, Chief Justice Warren E. Burger of the United States Supreme Court, and economist Milton Friedman. This menu is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for White House events from 1980 to 2004.

This menu is from a luncheon held in honor of Peter Carington, the 6th Baron Carrington, of the United Kingdom on May 10, 1988. Carington served as the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and was at the White House that day to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Ronald Reagan. The luncheon was held in the Executive Mansion before the ceremony, which took place in the Roosevelt Room of the West Wing. This menu is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for White House events from 1980 to 2004.

This menu is from a luncheon held at the presentation of the Presidential Medal of Freedom on May 12, 1986. President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan hosted the luncheon in the East Room of the White House, where President Reagan also awarded the medals. Recipients included: former ambassador Walter H. Annenberg, actress Helen Hayes, and virologist Dr. Albert B. Sabin, known for his work developing the oral polio vaccine. This menu is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for White House events from 1980 to 2004.

This menu is from a luncheon held in honor of the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The luncheon was hosted by President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan in the East Room of the White House on March 26, 1984. Recipients at this ceremony included actor James Cagney, physician and humanitarian Dr. Hector P. Garcia, and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics. Baseball legend Jackie Robison was posthumously awarded the medal. This menu is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for White House events from 1980 to 2004.

This menu is from a luncheon held in honor of the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The luncheon was hosted by President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan in the East Room of the White House on February 23, 1983. Recipients at this ceremony included singer Mabel Mercer, politician and diplomat Clare Boothe Luce, and, posthumously, football coach Bear Bryant. This menu is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for White House events from 1980 to 2004.

This menu is from a luncheon held in honor of the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The luncheon was hosted by President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan in the East Room of the White House on October 9, 1981. Recipients at this ceremony included attorney Morris I. Leibman, former congressman Walter H. Judd, and composer and pianist Eubie Blake. This menu is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for White House events from 1980 to 2004.

This cantaloupe and lime mousse dessert, photographed by Bill Fitz-Patrick, was created by White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier and served at a luncheon honoring Peter Carington, the 6th Baron Carrington, of the United Kingdom. Carington served as the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and was at the White House on May 10, 1988 to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Ronald Reagan. When Chef Roland Mesnier was hired to work as a pastry chef for the White House, he focused on fruit base desserts in addition to his sugar and chocolate work. Many first families and their guests did not want to eat rich desserts, so Chef Mesnier would create dishes that would give the sensation of eating perfectly ripe fruit. For the full menu from the luncheon, see 1140688. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

This is the third page of a program for an award ceremony held on January 19, 1989, during which President Ronald Reagan recognized former United States representative and senator Michael Mansfield of Montana and Secretary of State George P. Shultz with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. First awarded to non-military personnel in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is among the highest honors that a president can bestow on a private citizen. For the full program, see 1141142. This program is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for White House events from 1980 to 2004.

This is the fourth page of a program for an award ceremony held on January 19, 1989, during which President Ronald Reagan recognized former United States representative and senator Michael Mansfield of Montana and Secretary of State George P. Shultz with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. First awarded to non-military personnel in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is among the highest honors that a president can bestow on a private citizen. This page honors the life and work of Michael Mansfield. For the full program, see 1141142. This program is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for White House events from 1980 to 2004.

This is the front cover of a program for an award ceremony held on January 19, 1989, during which President Ronald Reagan recognized former United States representative and senator Michael Mansfield of Montana and Secretary of State George P. Shultz with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. First awarded to non-military personnel in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is among the highest honors that a president can bestow on a private citizen. For the full program, see 1141142. This program is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for White House events from 1980 to 2004.

This is the fifth page of a program for an award ceremony held on January 19, 1989, during which President Ronald Reagan recognized former United States representative and senator Michael Mansfield of Montana and Secretary of State George P. Shultz with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. First awarded to non-military personnel in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is among the highest honors that a president can bestow on a private citizen. For the full program, see 1141142. This program is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for White House events from 1980 to 2004.

This is the sixth page of a program for an award ceremony held on January 19, 1989, during which President Ronald Reagan recognized former United States representative and senator Michael Mansfield of Montana and Secretary of State George P. Shultz with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. First awarded to non-military personnel in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is among the highest honors that a president can bestow on a private citizen. For the full program, see 1141142. This program is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for White House events from 1980 to 2004.

In this photograph by Eric Draper, President George W. Bush stands with author Harper Lee in the East Room of the White House on Nov. 5, 2007. Lee was at the White House to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bush. Lee was best known for her classic American novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird" and received her honor alongside Liberian politician Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, director of the National Institutes of Health Dr. Francis Collins, and Benjamin Hooks, civil rights leader and former executive director of the NAACP, among others.

In this photograph by Bill Fitz-Patrick, President Gerald R. Ford presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson in a ceremony in the East Room on January 10, 1977. President Ford presented the award in the waning days of his presidency, honoring Mrs. Johnson alongside the likes of Georgia O'Keeffe, Irving Berlin, Joe DiMaggio, Nelson Rockefeller, and Norman Rockwell.

In this photograph by Lawrence Jackson, President Barack Obama awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Pat Summitt, legendary former coach of the University of Tennessee women's basketball team. The ceremony took place on May 29, 2012 in the East Room. Novelist Toni Morrison, seated at left, was also honored with the award in addition Madeline Albright, John Doar, Bob Dylan, William Foege, John Glenn, Gordon Hirabayashi, Dolores Huerta, Jan Karski, Juliette Gordon Low, Shimon Peres, and John Paul Stevens.

This photograph was taken by David Hume Kennerly on August 5, 1976, during a ceremony where President Gerald R. Ford awarded athlete and humanitarian Jesse Owens with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor a president can bestow. President Ford presented the award during a ceremony in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, attended by members of the 1976 United States Summer Olympic team. A track-and-field legend, Owens earned four gold medals during the 1936 Summer Olympic Games in Nazi Germany.

This photograph by Matthew D'Agostino shows President Barack Obama awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in a ceremony in the East Room on November 22, 2016.

This photograph by Matthew D'Agostino shows President Barack Obama awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in a ceremony in the East Room on November 22, 2016.

This photograph by Matthew D'Agostino shows President Barack Obama awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in a ceremony in the East Room on November 22, 2016.

This photograph by Matthew D'Agostino shows President Barack Obama awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in a ceremony in the East Room on November 22, 2016.

This photograph by Matthew D'Agostino shows President Barack Obama awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to basketball star Michael Jordan in a ceremony in the East Room on November 22, 2016.

This photograph by Matthew D'Agostino shows President Barack Obama awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to basketball star Michael Jordan in a ceremony in the East Room on November 22, 2016.

This photograph by Matthew D'Agostino shows President Barack Obama awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to basketball star Michael Jordan in a ceremony in the East Room on November 22, 2016.