Stevie Wonder, Meryl Streep, Tom Brokaw and Ethel Kennedy among 19 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients at White House ceremony

• Barack Obama awarded 19 medals at ceremony in the East Room Monday
• Spoke at length of his love for Streep and praised her compassion and skill
• Also praised Stevie Wonder, and said he bought one of his albums aged 10
• Said event celebrated people who made U.S. 'stronger, wiser, more humane' 

Meryl Streep, Stevie wonder, Tom Brokaw and Ethel Kennedy were among the famous figures who received a Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama today at the White House.

They were among a group of 19 artists, activists and lawmakers receiving the award - the highest possible civilian honor - at the ceremony Monday.

'This is one of my favorite events,' Obama said from the East Room. 'Once a year, we set aside this event to celebrate people who have made America stronger and wiser and more humane and more beautiful with our higher civilian honor.'

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Big fan: President Barack Obama told how he bought his first Stevie Wonder album aged 10 - and listens to him on the campaign trail. Wonder was among 19 recipients today

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Love realized: Obama spoke at length of his admiration for Streep, whose compassion and empathy he praised

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'Pivotal': NBC correspondent Tom Brokaw also received a medal. Obama praised his reporting from the fall of the Berlin Wall, Tienanmen Square, and face-to-face interviews with world leaders

In a lengthy speech he lavished attention on his favorite talents - recounting his personal love for Streep's films, and how he bought his first Stevie Wonder album aged 10 - and still listens to him on the campaign trail.

He said: 'I have said publicly, I love Meryl Streep. I love her. Her husband knows I love her, Michelle knows I love her. There's nothing nothing either of them can do about it.

'She inhabits her characters so fully and compassionately, saying it is the greatest gift of human beings that we have this power of empathy.

'And off the screen as an advocate for women and girls, she uses that gift to help others write the stories of their choosing and to encourage greater empathy in the rest of us.

'She is truly one of America's leading ladies.'

Also honored: Human rights advocate Ethel Kennedy - a member of the Kennedy political dynasty - also received a medal Monday

Pleased: Meryl Streep reacts to praise from Barack Obama as she stands next to fellow honoree Marlo Thomas

'Her husband knows. Michelle knows': Obama made no secret of his enthusiasm for the actress

Excited: Marlo Thomas, a producer, actress and social activist, also received the prestigious award

Of Wonder, he said: 'Early copies of Stevie wonder's classic album - Talking Book - had a simple message written in braille: "Here is my music, it is all I have to tell you how I feel, know that your love keeps my love strong."'

'This is by the way the first album I ever bought with my own money. I was ten years old, maybe 11.' 

He continued: 'A musical prodigy with an electrifying voice, Stevie's blend of R&B and jazz and funk and blues and soul and whatever else you got speaks of love and loss, justice and equality, war and peace.

Scientist: Physicist Mildred Dresselhaus also got a gong from Obama

Handshake: Obama congratulates professional golfer Charles Sifford on his award

'But what really defines Stevie's music is the warmth and humanity that resonates in every note. Some of the songs helped us to fall in love on the others mended our hearts - and motivated some of us on the campaign trail.

In a reference to one of Wonder's biggest hits, he finished by saying: 'And thanks to Stevie all of us have been moved to Higher Ground.'

Others receiving the award included Ethel Kennedy, author Isabel Allende and Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., the longest-serving member of Congress who is retiring at the end of the year.

The list also included Native American activist Suzan Harjo, actress Marlo Thomas, economist Robert Solow, golfer Charles Sifford, former Rep. Abner Mikva of Illinois and physicist Mildred Dresselhaus.

Obama also praised Tom Brokaw at length, focusing on his role reporting major world events to the American public while at NBC.

Author: Isabelle Allenda also received the medal, as the President praised her literary works

Highest civilian honor: Obama presents the medal to Native American writer, curator, and activist Suzan Harjo

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Together: Obama is pictured above arriving for the ceremony with First Lady Michelle Obama

He said: 'At pivotal moments, Tom got it. He reported on Watergate, snuck a camera into Tienanmen Square. He sat down for the first one-on-one with Mikhail Gorbachev with an american American TV reporter, covered every presidential election since 1968.

'We have welcomed him into her home at dinnertime and Sunday mornings. We trusted him to tell us what we needed to know and to ask questions that needed asking.

'I know because i have been on the receiving end of some of those questions.'

Posthumous medals went to six individuals, among them civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, who were slain in 1964 as they participated in a historic voter registration drive in Mississippi.

Other posthumous awards were for choreographer Alvin Ailey and Reps. Patsy Mink of Hawaii and Edward Roybal of California, founder of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.  

Composer Stephen Sondheim was scheduled to receive the award, but Obama said he couldn't make it and will be included in next year's class of honorees.

Isn't she lovely? Meryl Streep and Stevie Wonder honored by Obama