[Barrett]

If you read betwixt the lines regarding Teddy's MoH, it was political back-scratching in the Klinton Administration. I'm a HUGE admirer of TR but no way did he rate the Big One; another example of rewarding a good job, not Above & Beyond.
yes, there's also a very large racial (i.e, political) context to the black and Niesi MoHs. As the regs stand, the MoH cannot be awarded years/centuries later unless the recipient was originally nominated for the MoH; that apparently did not apply in most such cases. It definitely did not apply in the most recent Vietnam award, which was a DFC (though the helo pilot dang sure rated the MoH!) Rickenbacker's MoH likewise was a DSC originally, uprated by congressional supporters.