Harper Lee was awarded the Presidential Medal Of Freedom in 2011
Lee has approved almost no requests for interviews or public appearances since the release of To Kill a Mockingbird. She never married and is regarded as a recluse. She accepted numerous honorary degrees but refused to give remarks.
On November 5, 2007, George W. Bush bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom upon Lee in recognition of her great contribution to writing. Harper Lee died peacefully in her sleep on February 19, 2016. She was 89 years old at the time.
