Discovering Walt Disney’s Legacy: The George Washington Medal of Honor Recipient

Walt Disney won many awards during his lifetime, including 32 Academy Awards for achievements in film, a once-in-a-century gold medal from the ASPCA for inspiring a nationwide love of animals, and even the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Dannebrog from Denmark!¹ However, among all of Walt’s many accolades, perhaps the one which best encompasses him is the George Washington Medal of Honor.

While it may not be considered as prestigious as Walt’s massive collection of Oscars or even his Presidential Medal of Freedom, the George Washington Medal of Honor highlights a most pivotal aspect of Walt’s persona: being an ambassador.

“The award recognized Walt as ‘Ambassador of Freedom for the United States,'” but it also represented something far deeper than patriotism.² It was a symbol of the beliefs Walt held dear; it was a reflection of his heart and of his lifestyle. And today, it remains a unique illumination of the man behind the mouse.

The George Washington Medal of Honor – A Tribute to Outstanding Citizens

In 1949, General Dwight D. Eisenhower helped co-found an organization called the Freedoms Foundation. The entity was created to “preserve American patriotism and recognize civic duty” through a series of national awards.³ Located at historic Valley Forge, this organization harkened back to the spirit of our nation’s founding and the desire to see a country united in freedom. Freedom to worship and live in peace.

In lieu of this, the George Washington Medal of Honor was designed to be given to outstanding citizens who were especially dedicated to upholding certain fundamental truths (such as Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness). Walt Disney was the fifth recipient of this special award in 1963.

“For his educational wisdom and patriotic dedication in advancing the concept of freedom under God; for his unfailing professional devotion to the things which matter most, human dignity and personal responsibility; for masterful creative leadership in communicating the hopes and aspirations of our free society to the far corners of the planet.”

General Eisenhower awarding Walt Disney the George Washington Medal of Honor⁴

Fulfilling the Bill of Responsibilities

The Freedoms Foundation composed a “Bill of Responsibilities” – a sort of compliment to the Bill of Rights – to outline the tenets of being a good citizen. The preamble eloquently states, “Freedom and responsibility are mutual and inseparable; we can ensure the enjoyment of the one only by exercising the other. Freedom for all of us depends on responsibility by each of us.”⁵

Some responsibilities include respecting the beliefs of others, respecting and obeying the law, and helping others. Of the many responsibilities listed, the one which Walt upheld most poignantly was “shar[ing] with others our appreciation of the benefits and obligations of freedom.”⁶

Through the medium of animation and entertainment, Walt spurred on both national morale and wholesome values, like the importance of family, in his work. (Just look at the Hall of Presidents and the Carousel of Progress at Walt Disney World!) The magic of Walt’s message was that, when presented by an audio-animatronic or a happy cartoon character, there was nothing preachy or partisan about it. The simple yet profound truths of being kind to everyone not only had a national reach but a global reach as well.

The universality of Walt’s work made him an effective and thoughtful “Ambassador of Freedom” – a fitting title for the man who lovingly imagineered It’s A Small World.

A President Among Men

Although Walt Disney worked in the world of animation rather than politics, he often exhibited presidential qualities. That the honor from the Freedoms Foundation connects Walt Disney to the name of George Washington feels incredibly apt, as they both shared that rare and remarkable ability to unify a nation.

During the Constitutional Convention of our fledging nation, the single unifying factor was the presence of George Washington. Every aspect of the document was hotly debated, but everyone agreed that Washington – to put it in modern terms – totally rocked. Washington was unanimously elected to preside over the convention, laying a crucial foundation of common ground where, in the days to come, agreements were few and far between.

Washington did not use his influence to sway the convention toward his own line of thinking but rather, to command order and facilitate fruitful discussions. His importance cannot be overstated, as evidenced by James Monroe’s letter to Thomas Jefferson, which read, “Be assured, [Washington’s] influence carried the government.”⁷

Similarly, Walt’s America was divided into political parties and, within his lifetime, endured two world wars and the Great Depression. During an age when our nation needed to be uplifted and unified more than ever before, Walt Disney paved a patch of common ground for everyone to stand upon.

Through the art of animation, Walt delighted audiences with characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, as well as with feature lengths films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Lady and the Tramp. While talking animals and fairy tales might appear frivolous at first, they made people laugh, and as silent film star Harold Lloyd once said, “Laughter is the universal language.”⁸

Beyond reaching people through this universal language, Walt also used his influence to propagate important ideals. His films weren’t particularly political by nature, so his cartoons were wonderfully non-partisan, but many did carry a message of overall patriotism and civic duty. During the Second World War, Walt lent his characters and creative talent to the war effort, boosting morale and sometimes educating in the form of animated military training videos.⁹

Even his most fantastical films exemplified the values he held dear; being kind to those in need, believing that anyone is capable of doing great things, and that hope always exists, even in the darkest of times.

The George Washington Medal of Honor was bestowed on Walt for his accomplishments as an Ambassador of Freedom – not only freedom in the democratic sense but also freedom from a world that was drab, dark, and hopeless. Walt freed his audiences to believe in and to actively strive for a “great big beautiful tomorrow.” And that is something worth celebrating!

Happy (almost) Fourth of July from our MouseEars TV family to yours!

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Cover photo: Picryl