WASHINGTON (AP) - Ford's Theatre awarded retired Supreme Court Justice Hon. Sandra Day O'Connor and pediatric neurosurgeon Benjamin Carson Sr. with this year's Lincoln Medals.

The theater gives the award to people whose accomplishments or personal attributes exemplify the legacy and character of Abraham Lincoln. The theater was the site of the 16th president's assassination.

President Bush presented the medals at the White House Sunday as part of an event marking Lincoln's 199th birthday. The evening reception kicks off a year of programming leading up to Lincoln's bicentennial.

O'Connor was the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court and retired in 2006. Carson is director of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.