David Rubenstein, Chair of the Library’s Madison Council, Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom

On Saturday, Jan. 4, Library of Congress James Madison Council chair David M. Rubenstein was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House. This is a crowning achievement for his passionate support of our nation’s history and culture and the arts.

David’s exemplary philanthropy has been a powerful tool for driving transformative change at the Library of Congress and many other institutions across the nation. The tangible benefits of his generosity will be evident to library patrons decades into the future.

David’s involvement with the Library dates back 20 years to when he joined the James Madison Council, the Library’s signature philanthropic support group. He has led the council since 2014. His commitment to amplifying our mission of connecting the Library to ALL Americans is evident in the projects he has supported.

Recently, he was the sole benefactor of the David M. Rubenstein Treasures Gallery, which opened in June 2024. This signature gift to the Library’s comprehensive campaign has made possible the first-ever, permanent treasures gallery. The Rubenstein Gallery offers visitors a window into the Library’s vast collections by creating a public space where visitors can see firsthand these fascinating and special items in rotating, thematic exhibitions.

David’s fervent commitment to fighting illiteracy has resulted in his support of two signature programs at the Library, the National Book Festival and the Library of Congress Literacy Awards.

The NBF is an annual free literary event that brings together bestselling authors, poets and illustrators for a daylong celebration of reading through author talks, panel discussions, book signings and other activities. Launched in 2001, the festival has become one of the most prominent literary events in the nation and attracts tens of thousands of booklovers each year.

David helped establish the Literacy Awards in 2013. The awards honor organizations that work to expand literacy and promote reading through exemplary and innovative strategies. Over the past decade, this program has awarded more than $3 million in prizes to over 150 institutions working in 38 countries.

Through the years, David has supported major exhibitions at the Library, including “Mapping a New Nation: Abel Buell’s Map of the United States,” the first map of the newly independent United States compiled, printed and published in America by an American. He also supported the exhibition “First Among Many: The Bay Psalm Book and Early Moments in American Printing,” featuring both the Library’s and David’s copies of the Bay Psalm Book.

David’s tireless advocacy allows us to continue to be “A Library for All” and a vibrant center of knowledge and creativity for members of Congress and their constituents. President Thomas Jefferson said, “There is a debt of service due from every man to his country, proportioned to the bounties which nature and fortune have measured to him.” David is truly the embodiment of this patriotic philanthropy.

So, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is a fitting and deserving honor to a man who exemplifies the American spirit of generosity, creativity and leadership. David, thank you for protecting history and for being a champion for literacy and reading. Congratulations!

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