George Washington, the first President of the United States under the Constitution of 1787, made this proclamation two years later in New York City. The initiative for the proclamation originally came from the House of Representatives, though support for the proclamation was hardly unanimous Issued by President George Washington, at the request of Congress by the President of the United States of America.

The White House will host a long list of distinguished Americans, which includes another baseball great — Willie Mays — as well as musicians Gloria and Emilio Estefan, retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski, classical musician Itzhak Perlman, composer Stephen Sondheim, film director Steven Spielberg, and singers James Taylor and Barbra Streisand. Another posthumous medal will go to long-time U.S. Rep. Shirley Chisholm, D-N.Y.

The 17 award winners will be awarded during a ceremony today, Nov. 24, the White House said.

Honorees, according to the White House:

The Rhodes Trust names 32 men and women US Scholars for 2016 and conduct research for two or three years at the University of Oxford, in England.

Every year during Thanksgiving, an American Rhodes Scholar class is selected from a pool of candidates nominated by their colleges and universities. They commence their studies at Oxford the following October, widely across the University's academic disciplines.

The Americans join 90 global scholars selected to begin studying at Oxford next October.

http://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/