President Obama is set to present actress Sally Fields and author Stephen King, among other notable citizens, with either the National Medal of Arts or National Humanities Medal.
In a White House ceremony on Thursday, Obama will bestow these honors on 18 people and three institutions.
Sally Fields, a Los Angeles native and actress is receiving an arts medal for "showing dignity, empathy and fearlessness in performances that have touched audiences worldwide, as well as showing those same qualities in her off-screen advocacy for women, LGBT rights and public health," according to the Washington Post.
King, an author known for his horror and thriller stories of Bangor, Maine, will be receiving an arts medal for combining aspects of storytelling with analysis of human nature through his decades of work.
Other recipients of the medals include Alice Waters, chef and owner of Chez Panisse, an organic restaurant in Berkeley, Ca., will be receiving the National Humanities Medal for her work towards a holistic approach towards eating and health.
According to the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts website, the two were created by Congress in 1965 to, "provide grants to support artistic excellence and creativity, and to advance the understanding and appreciation of history, literature, philosophy and language." Both of these independent agencies are celebrating their 50th anniversaries this year.
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