The late Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiling the first iPhone in 2007.
David Paul Morris | Getty Images News | Getty Images
President Joe Biden on Friday awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously to Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, along with 16 other people.
The award is the country’s highest civilian honor and the White House says the recipients “embody the soul of the nation.”
Jobs co-founded Apple in 1975, developing some of the first mainstream personal computers, before resigning from the company in 1985. He rejoined in 1997 and led the development of products including the iPod and the iPhone. Jobs was also a co-founder of Pixar, the animated movie company that is now part of Disney.
Jobs died in 2011 at age 56 after a battle with cancer.
“His vision, imagination and creativity led to inventions that have, and continue to, change the way the world communicates, as well as transforming the computer, music, film and wireless industries,” the White House said in a statement.
The White House will present the awards on Thursday.
Other notable recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Friday include:
- Olympic gymnast Simone Biles
- Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords
- Former Senator and Republican presidential nominee John McCain
- Soccer player Megan Rapinoe
- Former AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka
- Actor Denzel Washington
