Presidential medal of freedom award winners honoured at the White House

Barack Obama presents the presidential medal of freedom to Joe Medicine Crow. Joe Medicine Crow is the last living war chief of America's Great Plains Photograph: Jim Young/Reuters

Cambridge University physicist Stephen Hawking receives the medal of freedom from Obama Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Archbishop Desmond Tutu is presented with the presidential medal of freedom Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP

Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland, as she receives the presidential medal of freedom Photograph: J Scott Applewhite/AP

Barack Obama presents the medal of freedom to retired supreme court justice Sandra Day O'Connor at the White House Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Barack Obama hugs actor Sidney Poitier after giving the actor the presidential medal of freedom. Poitier was the first African-American to win an Oscar for best actor Photograph: Jason Reed /Reuters

Barack Obama presents the medal of freedom to tennis legend Billie Jean King. King won 12 Grand Slam titles during her career Photograph: Jason Reed/Reuters

Microloan pioneer Muhammad Yunus shakes Obama's hand after receiving the presidential medal of freedom Photograph: Jason Reed/Reuters

Barack Obama presents the presidential medal of freedom to Nancy Goodman Brinker, the founder of Susan G Komen for the Cure. The organisation is the world's leading breast cancer grassroots group and is named after Brinker's sister Photograph: J Scott Applewhite/AP

Barack Obama presents the presidential medal of freedom to actor, singer and dancer Chita Rivera Photograph: Jewel Samad/AFP

Miami physician Dr Pedro Jose Greer Jr is awarded the presidential medal of freedom. Greer founded organisations that provide medical care to the poor Photograph: Matthew Cavanaugh/EPA