Jimmy Carter’s Life and Legacy
Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, passed away on Sunday at his home in Georgia at the age of 100. Carter had been in hospice care and had been treated for an aggressive form of melanoma skin cancer.
Carter was a member of the Democratic Party and served as President from 1977 to 1980. He was also a Nobel Peace Prize winner and the founder of the Carter-Menil Foundation for Human Rights.
Carter was born in Plains, Georgia, on October 1, 1924, and grew up in a small community called Archery. His family owned large farms for growing peanuts.
Carter studied at the Georgia Institute of Technology and later attended the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He served in the Navy from 1943 to 1953 and later entered politics.
Carter’s Early Career
Carter was a senator from Georgia from 1962 to 1966 and later served as Governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1974. He announced his candidacy for the Presidency in 1974 and won the election in 1976.
Carter’s Presidency
During his administration, Carter signed the return of the Panama Canal and sponsored the understanding between Egypt and Israel that led to the signing of the Camp David accords in 1979. He also launched a failed rescue operation in Iran, which was one of the reasons he lost the election to Ronald Reagan in 1980.
Post-Presidency
After retiring from politics, Carter founded the Carter Presidential Center at Emory University in 1982. He also created the Carter-Menil Foundation for Human Rights in 1986. Carter was involved in numerous philanthropic activities and was a vocal advocate for human rights and democracy.
Carter’s Later Life
In his later years, Carter continued to be involved in politics and human rights. He traveled to Cuba in 2002 and was involved in the Venezuelan crisis. He also condemned the North American invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Carter’s Health Issues
Carter had several health issues in his later years, including cancer, dehydration, and a brain hemorrhage. He underwent hip surgery in 2019 and received palliative care at home in 2023.
Carter’s Legacy
Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 and the Roosevelt Prize for Freedom. He also won a Grammy for Best Spoken Album for his book “Faith – A Journey For All”. Carter was married to Rosalyn Smith for over 70 years and had four children.