On November 19, 2000, Child was presented with a Knight of France's Legion of Honor. She was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2000. She was awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2003; she received honorary doctorates from Harvard University, Johnson & Wales University (1995), Smith College (her alma mater), Brown University (2000), and several other universities. In 2007, Child was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.