President Barack Obama awarded the nation's highest civilian honor to 19 artists, activists, public servants, scientists and others yesterday.

Among the posthumous honorees was Michael Schwerner, who attended Pelham High School. Schwerner, along with Andrew Goodman and James Chaney, were killed in 1964 by the Ku Klux Klan as they tried to get African-Americans registered to vote. Klan organizer Edgar Ray Killen was prosecuted on murder charges 41 years after the killings took place. The murders were the basis of the 1988 movie "Mississippi Burning."

Chaney's daughter, Goodman's brother and Schwerner's wife were on hand to accept the medals.

Among the other recipients were Ethel Kennedy, actress Meryl Streep and singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder.