| 100% | RUBYDEE | 7 | Actress and activist who was awarded the National Medal of Arts, along with her husband, in 1995 |
| 50% | RALPHELLISON | 12 | 14-Across and 28-Across novelist who was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1985 (2 wds.) |
| 40% | ODETTA | 6 | Singer awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1999 |
| 38% | CAROLBURNETT | 12 | Actress and comedian who was awarded the 44-Across in 2013 (2 wds.) |
| 38% | RITA | 4 | Actress Moreno who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom |
| 37% | CEVERETTKOOP | 12 | Former U.S. Surgeon General who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Bill Clinton in 1995 (3 wds.) |
| 37% | BARACKOBAMA | 11 | U.S. President who awarded Rita Moreno the National Medal of Arts in 2009 (2 wds.) |
| 36% | AMYPOEHLER | 10 | Actress who played the role of Leslie Knope in "Parks and Recreation", a role she is best-known for: 2 wds. |
| 36% | BEVERLYSILLS | 12 | Opera singer who chaired Lincoln Center and received the National Medal of Arts in 1990: 2 wds. |
| 36% | TONI | 4 | Morrison who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, the Nobel Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom |
| 35% | NANCY | 5 | With 34-Across, she was LPGA Tour Player of the Year in 1978 as a rookie and received the Bob Jones Award in 1998 |
| 35% | ANNPRESTON | 10 | American physician and activist who was the first female dean of a medical school in the world: 2 wds. |
| 35% | TIGER | 5 | ___ Woods, professional golfer who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019 |
| 35% | CHUCK | 5 | With 33-Across, "Big Self-Portrait" painter who received the National Medal of Arts in 2000 |
| 34% | RALPHELLISON | 12 | African-American writer of 14-Across and 28-Across awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1985 (2 wds.) |
| 34% | MEDGAREVERS | 11 | Civil rights activist who was a posthumous recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2024: 2 wds. |
| 34% | ITZHAKPERLMAN | 13 | Tel Aviv-born violinist who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015: 2 wds. |
| 34% | MUHAMMAD | 8 | ___ Ali, former professional boxer who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005 |
| 34% | CHITA | 5 | Tony-winning singer/dancer Rivera who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 |
| 34% | DANTON | 6 | Georges who was a key member of the Jacobin Club, along with Robespierre and Marat |
| 33% | JASPERJOHNS | 11 | "Three Flags" painter who received the National Medal of Arts in 1990: 2 wds. |
| 33% | MARILYNHORNE | 12 | Opera singer who performed at Clinton's 1993 inauguration and received the National Medal of Arts in 1992: 2 wds. |
| 33% | CASSATT | 7 | Her "Boating Party" is in the National Gallery of Art |
| 33% | SOONG | 5 | ___ Mei-ling, former First Lady of China who was the TIME "Man and Wife of the Year" in 1937 along with her husband Chiang Kai-shek |
| 33% | JONASSALK | 9 | Virologist who developed the first successful polio vaccine and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Jimmy Carter in 1977 (2 wds.) |
| 33% | GATES | 5 | Melinda ___, philanthropist who was the TIME "Person of the Year" in 2005 along with U2 frontman Bono |
| 33% | JOHNLEWIS | 9 | Politician and civil rights leader who was awarded the Spingarn Medal in 2002: 2 wds. |
| 33% | JOE | 3 | ___ DiMaggio, former professional baseball player who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 |
| 33% | JORDAN | 6 | Michael ___, former professional basketball player who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 |
| 33% | ROSA | 4 | ___ Parks, African-American civil rights activist who was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal |