Born October 1st, 1924 in Plains, Georgia, James Earl “Jimmy” Carter grew up in a humble and hardworking family. Carter has been an inspiration to many and is the only president to have graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946. Carter also fought during World War II, was the 76th governor of Georgia (1971-75) and state senator (1963-67), and later became the 39th U.S President in 1977.
During his time in presidency, Carter issued the Emergency Natural Gas Act, which authorizes the President to deregulate natural gas prices due to shortage, and he established the Department of Energy.
On September 5, 1978, Carter mediated talks between Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel and President Anwar Sadat of Egypt at Camp David, resulting in a peace treaty between the two nations. Not only that but on September 17th, the Camp David Accords were signed. Carter has toured India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, France, Belgium, and was even granted diplomatic status in China.
In 1979, the Washington Post ran a story with the headline: “President Attacked by Rabbit” after Carter claims a rabbit tried to attack him during a fishing trip in Georgia. Carter’s image was hit harshly by this, as people judged him for being crazy, weak, and ineffective. Thomas Purdy, a local citizen who remembers this publication, adds, “The public was very harsh at the time but Jimmy Carter’s a respectable man who has contributed to our policies.”
The Iranian Hostage Crisis began two months later after the published story, haunting the rest of his presidential term. However, that did not stop Carter from establishing the Department of Education and announcing an anti-inflation program. In 1979, Carter announced his candidacy for reelection, only to lose to Ronald Reagan in 1980.
Nonetheless, that has not stopped his accomplishments and impact. In fact, he is regarded as one of the most accomplished former U.S Presidents. After his presidential term, Carter remained engaged in political and social projects, founding the Carter Center in 1982 with the late First Lady Rosalynn Carter. The Carter Center has helped improve the life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts, advancing democracy and human rights, preventing disease, and improving mental health care.
In 1984, Carter also worked with Habitat for Humanity–a global nonprofit helping homeowners build houses. The Carters have worked alongside the organization for more than 35 years, building more than 4,300 homes across 14 countries with the help of more than 100,000 volunteers.
Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, his work towards promoting economic and social development, and his effort to advance democracy and human rights.
In August 2015, Carter was diagnosed with cancer that had spread to his liver and brain. Despite his condition he has pushed himself and dedicated himself to volunteering. Around October 2019, Carter had fallen resulting in a black eye and 14 stitches. The next day Carter showed up to a house site in Nashville to keep his commitment to the organization. Sadly, in February 2023, Carter entered hospice care after facing several medical complications. Alongside this, earlier that year in November his wife Eleanor Rosalynn Carter passed away. Her funeral was in their hometown of Plains, Georgia. It was also the former president’s last public appearance.
Jason Carter, Jimmy Carter’s grandson, comments that his grandfather is “very physically diminished, as you might expect, but he is still smiling, he is still engaging and … paying attention to things around the world.”
Carter has since been asked, how is it that one can live so long? What is the secret to living a long life? Carter’s advice: “Marry the best spouse: someone who will take care of you and engage and do things to challenge you and keep you alive and interested in life.”
