Former President Leaves Behind Legacy of Peace-Making and Public Service
Jimmy Carter, who rose from a humble peanut farmer to become the 39th President of the United States and later reinvented himself as a global humanitarian, died Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia. He was 100 years old.
The Carter Center announced that the former president passed away peacefully on December 29, surrounded by family members, nearly two years after entering hospice care. His death comes just weeks after the passing of his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn Carter, who died in November 2023 at age 96.
From Plains to the Presidency
Born James Earl Carter Jr. on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, Carter’s journey to the presidency was anything but conventional. After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy and serving as a submarine officer, he returned home to take over his family’s peanut farming business following his father’s cancer diagnosis. This decision, though difficult at the time, would later become part of the authentic, humble image that helped propel him to the nation’s highest office.
Carter entered politics as a state senator in 1962 and later served as Georgia’s governor from 1971 to 1975. His 1976 presidential campaign, launched in the wake of the Watergate scandal, resonated with Americans seeking honest leadership. Running as a Washington outsider with a broad smile and straightforward manner, he defeated incumbent Gerald Ford with a promise of government “as good and honest and decent and truthful and competent and compassionate as are the American people.”
Presidential Achievements and Challenges
His presidency, from 1977 to 1981, was marked by significant accomplishments amid considerable challenges. Carter’s crowning achievement was brokering the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt in 1978, a diplomatic triumph that brought temporary peace to the Middle East. He also established diplomatic relations with China, signed the SALT II arms control treaty with the Soviet Union, and created the Departments of Energy and Education.
However, his administration struggled with domestic challenges, including soaring inflation, energy crises, and unemployment. The Iran hostage crisis, during which 52 Americans were held captive for 444 days, severely damaged his presidency and contributed to his decisive defeat by Ronald Reagan in the 1980 election.
A Transformative Post-Presidency
Rather than retreat into comfortable retirement, Carter embarked on what many consider the most successful post-presidency in American history. He and Rosalynn founded The Carter Center in 1982, which became a powerful force for promoting democracy, public health, and human rights worldwide.
Under his leadership, The Carter Center monitored more than 113 elections globally, worked to eradicate diseases in developing nations, and mediated conflicts in numerous countries. Their efforts with Habitat for Humanity helped build homes for thousands of families in need, with the Carters personally wielding hammers well into their 90s.
Legacy of Service and Humanitarian Work
Carter’s humanitarian work earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, making him one of only three U.S. presidents to receive this honor. The Nobel committee cited his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”
President Joe Biden, ordering a state funeral for Carter, called him “an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian,” adding that young Americans seeking to understand a life of purpose should “study Jimmy Carter.”
Unlike many former presidents, Carter chose to live modestly, returning to his small ranch house in Plains, Georgia, where he regularly taught Sunday School at Maranatha Baptist Church until his health declined. He continued his public service well into his 90s, writing books, mediating conflicts, and advocating for various humanitarian causes.
A Reassessment of His Presidency
While Carter’s presidency was often criticized, historical assessments have become more favorable over time. Scholars now credit him with important deregulation initiatives, environmental protection measures, and human rights advocacy that set new standards in American foreign policy.
“He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” noted biographer Jonathan Alter, emphasizing Carter’s journey from a home without electricity to decades of service on the world stage.
Carter is survived by his four children, eleven grandchildren, and fourteen great-grandchildren. His death marks the end of an era in American political history, but his legacy of humanitarian service and dedication to peace continues through the institutions and initiatives he established.
As he reflected near the end of his life, Carter remained at peace with his journey: “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” His passing leaves a void in global humanitarian leadership, but his example of servant leadership and dedication to human rights will continue to inspire future generations.
