Steven Spielberg honored for films
Wednesday, August 5th, 2009
The National Constitution Center has announced the winner of its Liberty Medal, and it's filmmaker Steven Spielberg. Spielberg is being honored for his work on and off screen.
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Steven Spielberg's career spans from the action-adventure franchise Raiders of the Lost Ark to the Oscar-winning holocaust film Shindler's List. It's mostly the latter that the Constitution Center is concerned with.
After filmming Shindler's Lilst, Spielberg created the Shoah Foundation, a holocaust research institute. Constitution Center president Linda Johnson says Spielberg's work highlights civic engagement.
Johnson: Spielberg, in creating the Shoah Foundation, in essence said, 'I've witnessed this through the lens by making Shindler's List, and this is a lesson we need to teach. Because if we don't we run the risk of frittering away liberty.'
Former President Bill Clinton will present the honor at a ceremony in Philadelphia in October.