Steve Jobs posthumously awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom

Steve Jobs

Apple CEO Tim Cook, who took over as chief executive after Jobs' passing, recognized the honor on Twitter, stating that Jobs was a "visionary who challenged us to see the world not for what it was, but for what it could be."

When the White House announced the list of recipients, it said that Jobs was on the list because his inventions changed how the world communicated.

"Steve Jobs (d. 2011) was the co-founder, chief executive, and chair of Apple, Inc., CEO of Pixar and held a leading role at the Walt Disney Company," the White House wrote. "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 Presidential Medal of Freedom is the country's highest civilian award, and is "presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors."

Below is a full list of the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

• Simone Biles
• Sister Simone Campbell
• Julieta Garcia
• Gabrielle Giffords
• Fred Gray
• Steve Jobs
• Father Alexander Karloutsos
• Khizr Khan
• Sandra Lindsay
• John McCain
• Diane Nash
• Megan Rapinoe
• Alan Simpson
• Richard Trumka
• Wilma Vaught
• Denzel Washington
• Raul Yzaguirre

Jobs co-founded Apple in 1976 in a California garage alongside Steve Wozniak. He was ousted from the company in 1985, but returned to a struggling Apple in 1997 and eventually led the Cupertino computer maker to a number of hit products, including the iPod, Mac, and iPhone.

Jobs died in 2011 from cancer. He was 56.