World Golf Hall of Fame member Charlie Sifford received the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House in Washington, D. C. from President Obama on November 24, 2014.
Sifford, the first African-American to earn his PGA tour card, broke the color barrier in professional golf and the battles that he fought for civil rights benefited more than just black golfers but opened the door for all ethnicities.
When compared to Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball’s color barrier in 1947, Sifford wrote in his 1992 biography, Just Let Me Play, that he believed his struggle was mightier than Robinson’s. Charlie Sifford’s determination inspired golfers such as Tiger Woods and Nancy Lopez to follow in his footsteps and the game has been much better for it.
Sifford, who was 92 at the time, followed other World Golf Hall of Famers Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer as the only golfers to receive the nation’s highest civilian honor.
