Former Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy to receive 2019 Liberty Medal
Kennedy, who retired from the Supreme Court in July 2018, is the recipient of the annual award administered by the National Constitution Center.
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Former Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy has been selected to receive the 2019 Liberty Medal, the National Constitution Center said Monday.
The annual award is given to individuals who “strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe,” the center said in a statement.
Kennedy, 82, was selected “for his efforts to preserve, protect, and defend liberty by inspiring Americans of all ages to learn about the Constitution through civic education and civil dialogue," according to the center.
Appointed to the Supreme Court by President Ronald Reagan, Kennedy served as an associate justice from 1988 until he retired in July 2018.
In his 30 years on the bench, Kennedy was often known as a swing vote in many cases. Kennedy authored the majority opinion in the 2015 case that legalized gay marriage nationwide, as well as the 1992 Planned Parenthood decision that affirmed Roe v. Wade, among other notable opinions.
His retirement led to the controversial nomination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was confirmed after a contentious hearing.
The Liberty Medal has been given to an array of people — from former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, to Malala Yousafzai.
"Like the National Constitution Center, Justice Kennedy believes that the future of liberty and democracy across America and around the globe depends on promoting civic education and civil dialogue,” said Jeffrey Rosen, the center’s president and CEO.
Kennedy will be awarded the medal at an Oct. 27 ceremony.