Library of Congress Living Legend

A Library of Congress Living Legend was someone recognized by the Library of Congress for creative contributions to American life. Those honored include artists, writers, activists, film makers, physicians, entertainers, sports figures, and public servants. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden retired the program in 2018.

List of honorees

 * Hank Aaron (d. 2021)
 * Madeleine Albright (d. 2022)
 * Muhammad Ali (d. 2016)
 * Mario Andretti
 * Ernie Banks (d. 2015)
 * Harry Belafonte (d. 2023)
 * Tony Bennett (d. 2023)
 * James H. Billington (d. 2018)
 * Big Bird (original performer Caroll Spinney d. 2019)
 * Larry Bird
 * Herblock (d. 2001)
 * Judy Blume
 * Julian Bond (d. 2015)
 * T. Berry Brazelton (d. 2018)
 * Gwendolyn Brooks (d. 2000)
 * Dave Brubeck (d. 2012)
 * Kobe Bryant (d. 2020)
 * William F. Buckley, Jr. (d. 2008)
 * Carol Burnett
 * Laura Bush
 * Ben Carson
 * Benny Carter (d. 2003)
 * Johnny Cash (d. 2003)
 * Vinton Cerf
 * Ray Charles (d. 2004)
 * Linda Chavez
 * Julia Child (d. 2004)
 * Beverly Cleary (d. 2021)
 * David Copperfield
 * Bill Cosby
 * Walter Cronkite (d. 2009)
 * Merce Cunningham (d. 2009)
 * Michael DeBakey (d. 2008)
 * Sylvia Earle
 * Marian Wright Edelman
 * Ahmet Ertegun (d. 2006)
 * Suzanne Farrell
 * John Kenneth Galbraith (d. 2006)
 * Andrew Goodpaster (d. 2005)
 * Stephen Jay Gould (d. 2002)
 * Katharine Graham (d. 2001)
 * Archie Green (d. 2009)
 * Thomas Hampson
 * Herbie Hancock
 * Mickey Hart
 * Al Hirschfeld (d. 2003)
 * Bob Hope (d. 2003)
 * Marta Casals Istomin
 * Glenn R. Jones (d. 2015)
 * Quincy Jones
 * Jenette Kahn
 * Max Kampelman (d. 2013)
 * George Kennan (d. 2005)
 * Jackie Joyner Kersee
 * B.B. King (d. 2015)
 * Billie Jean King
 * Jeane Kirkpatrick (d. 2006)
 * John Kluge (d. 2010)
 * Ursula K. Le Guin (d. 2018)
 * Annie Leibovitz
 * Miguel León-Portilla (d. 2019)
 * Carl Lewis
 * John Lewis (d. 2020)
 * Mario Vargas Llosa
 * Alan Lomax (d. 2002)
 * Yo-Yo Ma
 * Robert McCloskey (d. 2003)
 * David McCullough (d. 2022)
 * Mark McGwire
 * Rita Moreno
 * Toni Morrison (d. 2019)
 * Odetta (d. 2008)
 * Gordon Parks (d. 2006)
 * Dolly Parton
 * Katherine Paterson
 * I. M. Pei (d. 2019)
 * Jaroslav Pelikan (d. 2006)
 * Itzhak Perlman
 * Colin Powell (d. 2021)
 * Leontyne Price
 * Tito Puente (d. 2000)
 * Sally K. Ride (d. 2012)
 * Cal Ripken
 * Cokie Roberts (d. 2019)
 * Frank Robinson (d. 2019)
 * Fred Rogers (d. 2003)
 * Philip Roth (d. 2018)
 * Bob Schieffer
 * Gunther Schuller (d. 2015)
 * Martin Scorsese
 * Pete Seeger (d. 2014)
 * Maurice Sendak (d. 2012)
 * Bobby Short (d. 2005)
 * Stephen Sondheim (d. 2021)
 * Steven Spielberg
 * Ralph Stanley (d. 2016)
 * Gloria Steinem
 * Isaac Stern (d. 2001)
 * Barbra Streisand
 * William Styron (d. 2006)
 * Harold Varmus
 * Gwen Verdon (d. 2000)
 * Lew Wasserman (d. 2002)
 * Fred L. Whipple (d. 2004)
 * Joseph Wilson (d. 2015)
 * Tiger Woods
 * Herman Wouk (d. 2019)