President Nixon presented Lillian Disney and members of the Disney family with a special honor, the Walt Disney Commemorative Medal. In his remarks, President Nixon stated, “Many ceremonies are held in this White House, but none that I think will have more meaning to all of us, young and old, than this one today, because it is my great privilege to present to Mrs. Walt Disney, on behalf of the congress of the United States by reason of a joint resolution, and on behalf of all the people of the United States and, I think, the world, a gold medal; a gold medal honoring Walt Disney for his service through so many years not only to the people of the United States but to the people of the world. To know this man was to know that we had been fortunate to have a spirit with us that perhaps comes once in a generation to fortunate people.”
