at the George Meany Center. He befriended Lech Walesa as well as Marian Krzaklewski who replaced Lech Walesa at the helm of Solidarity. Kirkland was awarded posthumously with the highest Polish award, the Order of the White Eagle. The Polish American Freedom Foundation has established a grant in Lane Kirkland's honor, and his union, the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots, has established the non-profit Captain Richard Phillips-Lane Kirkland Maritime Trust partly in his memory. His best remembered quotation is: On November 13, 1989, Kirkland was presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Bush. In 1994, Kirkland was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Clinton. In 1999, Lane Kirkland was awarded the Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom. Lane Kirkland died in Washington, D.C., age 77, from complications of cancer. Notes References External links American Center for International Labor Solidarity, formerly the International Affairs Department of the AFL–CIO Lane Kirkland: The AFL–CIO's last cold warrior by Jim Smith Freedom's Labors: Lane Kirkland worked for more than his union by Fred Siegel. Wall Street Journal. OpinionJournal.com. Tuesday, March 8, 2005. Accessed April 3, 2005. Lane Kirkland papers at the University of Maryland libraries The American Presidency Project Lane Kirkland (1922–1999) AFL–CIO history page 1922 births 1999 deaths American sailors Presidents of the AFL–CIO Walsh School of Foreign Service alumni People from Camden, South Carolina United States Merchant Marine Academy alumni 20th-century American politicians Deaths from cancer in Washington, D.C. Presidential Citizens Medal recipients Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Recipients of the Four Freedoms Award United States Merchant Mariners of World War II Recipients of the Order of the White Eagle (Poland)