Jimmy Carter

Biography

Jimmy Carter, born James Earl Carter Jr. on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, was the first American president born in a hospital. He grew up in Archery, Georgia, in a family influenced by his father's peanut farming and his mother's job as a registered nurse. He attended Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology before getting into the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. Carter served as a naval officer under Admiral Hyman Rickover in the early nuclear submarine program, an experience that greatly influenced his disciplined approach to public service and his belief in scientific precision.

After his father's death in 1953, Carter left the Navy and returned to Plains to manage the family peanut farm. Though he initially faced financial difficulties, he turned the business into a success and became more involved in local civic activities. He served on the Sumter County Board of Education and was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 1962, gaining a reputation for his detailed focus on legislation and his stand against racial segregation. As governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975, he worked on reorganizing the government and publicly announced that racial discrimination should end.

Carter began an unlikely presidential campaign in 1976 and, by tapping into public distrust of government following the Watergate scandal, he defeated President Gerald Ford. His presidency from 1977 to 1981 included the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, the Panama Canal Treaties, and the creation of the Department of Energy and the Department of Education. His administration faced significant challenges with the Iran hostage crisis starting in November 1979 and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, both contributing to his loss to Ronald Reagan in the 1980 election.

After leaving the White House, Carter had an exceptionally active and impactful post-presidential career. Through the Carter Center, founded in Atlanta in 1982, he led international election monitoring, mediated disputes, and led efforts to eliminate diseases like Guinea worm disease. He also worked with Habitat for Humanity for many years, helping build homes into his eighties. Carter was a prolific writer, publishing over thirty books, including memoirs, poetry, novels, and works on faith and aging.

Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his decades of humanitarian work. He continued to advocate for human rights, free elections, and nuclear disarmament in his later years. He passed away on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100, in Plains, Georgia. He was survived by his wife Rosalynn, who had died in November 2023, and their four children.