Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter
Born	James Earl Carter Jr. 1 10, 1924
Birthplace	Plains, Georgia, U.S.
Died	Template:Death date and age Plains, Georgia, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, humanitarian, author
Known for	39th President of the United States; Camp David Accords; Carter Center; Nobel Peace Prize (2002)
Education	United States Naval Academy (B.S., 1946)
Spouse(s)	Rosalynn Smith (m. 1946; her death 2023)
Children	4
Awards	Nobel Peace Prize (2002), Presidential Medal of Freedom (1999), Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album
Website	[https://www.cartercenter.org/people/jimmy-carter/ Official site]

James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924 – December 29, 2024), commonly known as Jimmy Carter, was an American politician, diplomat, humanitarian, and author who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, Carter previously served as a Georgia state senator from 1963 to 1967 and as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975. He remains the only U.S. president from Georgia and lived longer than any other president in American history, reaching the age of 100. Born and raised in the small farming town of Plains, Georgia, Carter rose from relative obscurity to the presidency in one of American politics' most remarkable ascents. After a career in the U.S. Navy's submarine service and years managing his family's peanut farming business, he entered Georgia politics during the civil rights era and emerged as one of the "New South" governors committed to racial reconciliation and government reform. His presidency was marked by significant diplomatic achievements—most notably the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel—as well as economic difficulties and foreign policy crises that contributed to his defeat by Ronald Reagan in 1980. Carter's post-presidential career, the longest in American history, brought him recognition that had eluded him in office; through the Carter Center, Habitat for Humanity, and decades of international diplomacy and disease eradication work, he earned the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize and widespread admiration as a global humanitarian.

Early Life

James Earl Carter Jr. was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, a small agricultural community in Sumter County in the southwestern part of the state. He was the first U.S. president to be born in a hospital. His father, James Earl Carter Sr., was a farmer and businessman who owned a peanut warehouse and several hundred acres of farmland. His mother, Lillian Gordy Carter, was a registered nurse who was known in the community for providing care to both Black and white neighbors during an era of rigid racial segregation in the Deep South.

Carter grew up on a farm in nearby Archery, Georgia, in a home that lacked electricity and indoor plumbing for much of his childhood. He attended the public schools of Plains and developed an early interest in reading and education. Growing up in the racially segregated South, Carter was exposed from an early age to the inequities of the Jim Crow system, experiences that would later shape his views on civil rights and social justice.

Carter's father was a community leader who served in the Georgia state legislature. The elder Carter's influence was significant in shaping his son's interest in public service. His mother Lillian's compassion and willingness to cross racial boundaries in providing medical care also left a lasting impression. Carter was raised as a Southern Baptist and maintained his religious faith throughout his life, teaching Sunday school regularly even during and after his presidency.

Education

Carter attended Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology before receiving an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1946 with a Bachelor of Science degree. At Annapolis, Carter was a diligent student who graduated in the upper portion of his class. His education at the Naval Academy provided the foundation for a career in the submarine service, where he would later work under Admiral Hyman Rickover in the nascent nuclear submarine program. Rickover, known for his demanding standards, became an important influence on Carter, who later cited the admiral as one of the most significant figures in his professional development.

Career

Naval Service

After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1946, Carter entered the United States Navy's submarine service. He served aboard several vessels and was selected for the nuclear submarine program under Admiral Hyman Rickover. Carter rose to the rank of lieutenant and was involved in the early development of the Navy's nuclear-powered submarine fleet, serving as a senior officer on the pre-commissioning crew of the Template:USS.

During his Navy years, Carter was stationed at various locations. He spent time in Norfolk, Virginia, where he lived in the city's Larchmont neighborhood as an ensign in the U.S. Navy before his rise to national prominence.

In 1953, following the death of his father, Carter made the decision to resign his naval commission and return to Plains, Georgia, to take over the family's peanut farming business. This was a pivotal choice that redirected his career from the military toward agriculture and, ultimately, politics. He and his wife Rosalynn managed the peanut warehouse and farm, eventually building it into a prosperous enterprise.

Georgia State Politics

Carter entered politics in the early 1960s, winning election to the Georgia State Senate in 1962, representing the 14th district. He served two terms from January 14, 1963, to January 9, 1967. As a state senator, Carter was active in education reform and was known for his meticulous attention to legislative detail, reportedly reading every bill that came before the senate.

Carter first ran for governor of Georgia in 1966 but was defeated in the Democratic primary. He ran again in 1970 and won, serving as the 76th governor of Georgia from January 12, 1971, to January 14, 1975. His lieutenant governor was Lester Maddox, his predecessor as governor and a prominent segregationist, creating an often contentious relationship between the two officials.

As governor, Carter emerged as one of the "New South" governors who sought to move the region beyond its segregationist past. In his inaugural address, he declared that "the time of racial discrimination is over," a statement that attracted national attention and signaled a break with Georgia's political traditions. He reorganized the state government, reducing the number of state agencies from approximately 300 to 22, and pursued efficiency reforms in budgeting and administration. He also advocated for environmental protection and appointed African Americans to state boards and government positions in unprecedented numbers.

1976 Presidential Campaign

On December 12, 1974, Carter announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. At the time, he was virtually unknown outside Georgia. His candidacy was considered so improbable that the common reaction was captured by the question, "Jimmy who?"

Carter ran as a Washington outsider during a period when public trust in government had been severely damaged by the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. His campaign emphasized honesty, morality, and competence in government. He famously promised voters, "I will never lie to you." His early focus on the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary—a strategy that would become standard in subsequent election cycles—helped him build momentum as a dark horse candidate.

Carter secured the Democratic nomination and went on to narrowly defeat Republican incumbent Gerald Ford in the November 1976 general election. The campaign took place in the aftermath of Ford's controversial pardon of Richard Nixon, which remained a significant liability for the incumbent. Carter won with 50.1 percent of the popular vote and 297 electoral votes to Ford's 240.

Presidency (1977–1981)

Domestic Policy

Carter took office on January 20, 1977, with Vice President Walter Mondale. One of his earliest acts as president was to issue a pardon for all Vietnam War draft evaders, fulfilling a campaign promise and addressing one of the lingering divisions from the Vietnam era.

Energy policy was a central focus of Carter's domestic agenda. Facing the consequences of the 1970s energy crisis, he created a comprehensive national energy policy that emphasized conservation, price controls, and the development of alternative energy sources. He signed legislation creating the Department of Energy in 1977 to consolidate the federal government's energy-related functions. Carter also installed solar panels on the White House roof as a symbolic gesture toward renewable energy, though they were later removed by the Reagan administration.

Carter also signed legislation establishing the Department of Education in 1979, separating it from the former Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. This fulfilled a campaign promise and was intended to elevate the federal role in education policy.

On environmental matters, the Carter administration responded to the Love Canal crisis in Niagara Falls, New York, where more than 800 families were evacuated from a neighborhood built atop a toxic waste dump. Carter described the discovery as "one of the grimmest discoveries of our modern era." The incident led to the passage of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Superfund) in 1980.

Carter's presidency was also marked by significant economic challenges, including high inflation, rising unemployment, and elevated interest rates—a combination sometimes referred to as "stagflation." His appointment of Paul Volcker as chairman of the Federal Reserve in 1979, while ultimately credited with setting the stage for controlling inflation, initially contributed to economic pain that hurt Carter politically.

Foreign Policy

Carter's foreign policy was characterized by an emphasis on human rights as a central element of American diplomacy. His administration's most celebrated achievement was the Camp David Accords of 1978, in which Carter personally mediated negotiations between Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. The accords led to the Egypt–Israel peace treaty of 1979, the first peace agreement between Israel and an Arab nation.

Carter also negotiated the Panama Canal Treaties, which provided for the gradual transfer of the Panama Canal from American to Panamanian control by the end of 1999. The treaties were controversial domestically but were ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1978.

In January 1979, Carter completed the normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and the People's Republic of China, a process that had begun under the Nixon administration. This involved the formal recognition of the Beijing government and the severing of official diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

Carter continued the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) with the Soviet Union, signing the SALT II agreement with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev in June 1979. However, the treaty was never ratified by the U.S. Senate due to deteriorating U.S.–Soviet relations.

The later years of Carter's presidency were dominated by foreign policy crises. The Iranian Revolution of 1979 led to the overthrow of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and the establishment of an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. On November 4, 1979, Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took 52 American diplomats and citizens hostage. The Iran hostage crisis lasted 444 days and became a defining event of Carter's presidency. A military rescue attempt, Operation Eagle Claw, failed in April 1980, resulting in the deaths of eight American servicemen and further damaging Carter's standing.

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 ended the era of détente between the superpowers. Carter responded by withdrawing the SALT II treaty from Senate consideration, imposing a grain embargo on the Soviet Union, and leading a boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. He also issued the Carter Doctrine, declaring that the United States would use military force if necessary to defend its interests in the Persian Gulf region.

Regarding arms sales and foreign policy in Southeast Asia, the Carter administration continued weapons sales to Indonesia during a period of significant controversy over human rights abuses in East Timor.

1980 Election

Carter sought reelection in 1980 but faced a significant primary challenge from Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, who criticized Carter's leadership on economic and domestic issues. Carter defeated Kennedy for the Democratic nomination but entered the general election in a weakened position. Republican nominee Ronald Reagan defeated Carter decisively, winning 489 electoral votes to Carter's 49. Carter carried only six states and the District of Columbia. The Iran hostage crisis, economic difficulties, and a general sense of national malaise contributed to his defeat. The hostages were released on January 20, 1981, minutes after Reagan was inaugurated.

Post-Presidency

Carter's post-presidential career became one of the most active and consequential in American history, spanning more than four decades—the longest post-presidency of any U.S. president.

The Carter Center

In 1982, Carter and his wife Rosalynn established the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, as a nonpartisan institution dedicated to advancing human rights, alleviating suffering, and resolving conflicts around the world. The center became a leading organization in international election monitoring, having observed more than 100 elections in countries across the globe. The Carter Center also conducted extensive disease eradication programs, most notably its campaign against Guinea worm disease (dracunculiasis). When the center began its efforts in the mid-1980s, there were an estimated 3.5 million cases of Guinea worm disease annually; by the 2020s, cases had been reduced to single digits, bringing the disease to the brink of eradication.

The Carter Center also worked to combat river blindness, trachoma, lymphatic filariasis, and other neglected tropical diseases in Africa and Latin America. Carter personally traveled extensively on behalf of the center, conducting peace negotiations, mediating disputes, and meeting with heads of state and community leaders around the world.

In 2026, the Carter Center announced a partnership with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation to conduct nonpartisan election observation of Michigan midterm elections, continuing the institutional legacy of bipartisan democratic engagement that Carter championed.

Habitat for Humanity

Carter became closely associated with Habitat for Humanity, the nonprofit housing organization that builds and renovates homes for people in need. Beginning in 1984, Carter and Rosalynn participated annually in the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, personally helping to construct homes alongside other volunteers. Their involvement brought significant public attention and fundraising to the organization. The Carter Work Project continued to honor their legacy after their deaths; in 2026, the project returned to Atlanta for the first time since 1988.

Writing and Public Commentary

Carter was a prolific author, writing more than 30 books during his lifetime. His works included presidential memoirs, reflections on aging, commentary on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, and a collection of poetry. He also won multiple Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word Album for audio recordings of his books.

Personal Life

Carter married Rosalynn Smith on July 7, 1946, shortly after his graduation from the Naval Academy. The couple had known each other since childhood in Plains, Georgia. Their marriage lasted more than 77 years until Rosalynn Carter's death on November 19, 2023, at the age of 96.

The Carters had four children: John William ("Jack"), James Earl III ("Chip"), Donnel Jeffrey ("Jeff"), and Amy Lynn. Amy Carter, born in 1967, lived in the White House as a child and attracted considerable media attention during her father's presidency.

Carter was a devout Southern Baptist who taught Sunday school regularly at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, for decades. His classes attracted visitors from around the world. He maintained a modest lifestyle after leaving the presidency, in contrast to many other former presidents, and returned to live in the same small ranch house in Plains that he and Rosalynn had built before he entered politics.

In February 2023, it was announced that Carter had chosen to receive hospice care at his home in Plains after a series of hospitalizations. He lived for nearly two more years in hospice, surpassing all expectations. Carter died on December 29, 2024, at his home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100. He was the longest-lived president in U.S. history. His state funeral was held in Washington, D.C., in January 2025, and he was laid to rest on the grounds of his home in Plains.

Recognition

Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 "for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development." The Nobel Committee cited his work through the Carter Center as well as his mediation of the Camp David Accords during his presidency.

In 1999, President Bill Clinton awarded Carter the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, in recognition of his humanitarian work.

Carter won three Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word Album for audio versions of his books, including Our Endangered Values and A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety.

In August 2025, the United States Postal Service announced the release of a commemorative stamp honoring Carter, joining a tradition of postal tributes to former presidents.

The White House Historical Association included Carter in its "Suited to Lead" exhibition, exploring how fashion shaped and reflected the identity of American presidents throughout their lifetimes.

Historical markers and commemorations continued to be established in Carter's honor following his death. In 2026, the Larchmont neighborhood of Norfolk, Virginia, where Carter had lived as a young Navy ensign, selected a site for a historical marker recognizing his connection to the area.

Polls of historians and political scientists have generally ranked Carter's presidency below average among American presidents. However, his post-presidential career has been viewed far more favorably, and many historians consider it the most productive and impactful post-presidency in American history.

Legacy

Carter's legacy is defined by a duality: a presidency marked by both significant achievements and considerable difficulties, followed by a post-presidential career of extraordinary scope and impact. The Camp David Accords remain one of the most consequential diplomatic achievements in the history of the Arab–Israeli conflict, and his emphasis on human rights as a pillar of American foreign policy influenced subsequent administrations of both parties.

His domestic policy accomplishments—including the creation of the Departments of Energy and Education, the deregulation of several industries, and the establishment of the Superfund program for environmental cleanup—had lasting effects on American governance. His appointment of record numbers of women and minorities to the federal judiciary also reshaped the federal courts.

However, Carter's inability to resolve the Iran hostage crisis and the persistent economic difficulties of his term defined his presidency in the public memory and contributed to the conservative political realignment that brought Ronald Reagan to power. His presidency is often cited in political science as an example of the challenges facing a reformist outsider in Washington.

Carter's post-presidential work fundamentally redefined what a former president could accomplish. The Carter Center's disease eradication programs, particularly the Guinea worm campaign, are credited with saving millions of lives. His election monitoring work helped strengthen democratic institutions in dozens of countries. His partnership with Habitat for Humanity popularized the concept of hands-on volunteer service among political leaders and ordinary citizens alike.

Carter's personal qualities—his deep religious faith, his commitment to simplicity and honesty, and his tireless work ethic even into extreme old age—shaped how he was remembered by the American public. Upon his death at age 100, tributes emphasized his moral character, his dedication to service, and the enduring impact of his humanitarian work.