By Emma Dognin and Genesis Oquendo
On Dec. 29, 2024, former President James Earl Carter Jr., also known as Jimmy Carter, passed away at the age of 100. Carter was born in the farming town of Plains, Georgia. His father was a farmer and businessman, and his mother was a registered nurse. He grew up with peanut farming, politics, and Baptist faith as highlights of his childhood.
Carter attended Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology before receiving a B.S. degree from the United States Naval Academy. In the Navy, Carter served as a submariner and lieutenant. Later, he was selected for a nuclear submarine program, where he pursued graduate work in reactor technology and nuclear physics. He resigned from his naval commission after the death of his father and returned to his family to take over the farm.
He served on various county boards overseeing the management of education, hospital authority, and the library. He gained attention for his emphasis on ecology, efficiency in government, and civil rights. He was elected to the Georgia Senate in 1962 and later became Georgia's governor in 1971. Carter served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981 as a member of the Democratic Party.
During his presidency, Carter achieved several accomplishments in both domestic and foreign affairs. Domestically, these included addressing the energy shortage, civil service reform, expanding the national park system, creating the Department of Education, improving the Social Security system, and appointing record numbers of women and minorities to government jobs. In foreign affairs, he helped foster friendly relations between Egypt and Israel, secured ratification of the Panama Canal treaties, established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, and negotiated the SALT II nuclear limitation treaty with the Soviet Union.
However, Carter's presidency faced setbacks, such as combating inflation and unemployment. While he created about 8 million jobs and reduced the budget deficit, inflation continued to rise. Other challenges included the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which suspended the ratification of the SALT II pact, and the Iran hostage crisis, which, combined with inflation, led to his loss in the 1980 election. Nevertheless, this did not prevent him from negotiating the release of American hostages. On the day he left office, Iran released 52 hostages.
After his presidency, Carter became known as a champion of human rights and was regarded by many as the "greatest former president." His dedication to seeking equity led him to establish the Carter Presidential Center at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. The center works to limit and resolve conflicts, improve global health, and promote democracy. Additionally, Carter has worked with Habitat for Humanity International, an organization dedicated to providing housing for underprivileged communities and advocating for affordable housing, since 1984. Through the Carter Work Project, around 100,000 volunteers have built and renovated 4,447 homes in 14 different countries. On Dec. 10, 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize by the Norwegian Nobel Committee for his "untiring efforts to find a peaceful solution to international conflicts" and his advancement of democracy and human rights.
During his post-presidential years, Carter also published several books, including Turning Point (1992), Talking Peace (1993), and Our Endangered Values (2005). He began his literary career before his presidency, and his books earned multiple nominations and awards, including Grammy wins for Best Spoken Word Album (2007, 2016, 2019). Each book urged high-ranking officials to reconsider the ethicality of their leadership and called for reform. Ten years before his death, Carter was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma, a form of cancer where cells from a primary tumor spread to other parts of the body. After undergoing radiation therapy and treatment, he overcame the cancer. His long-term survivorship served as an inspiration to countless Americans, not just as a former president but as a symbol of resilience.
On Jan. 4, Carter was commemorated in his hometown, where the National Park Service rang the farm bell 39 times. His body was then taken to the Georgia State Capitol, where he had served as governor, for a moment of silence.
On Jan. 7, a U.S. Navy memorial was held at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to honor Carter’s military service. Following the memorial, his body was transferred to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., where a 4:30 p.m. service allowed lawmakers to pay their respects.
On Jan. 9, an official funeral took place at the Washington National Cathedral. U.S. flags will be flown at half-staff for 30 days following Carter’s death, until Jan. 28.
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