Jimmy Carter is a popular and influential American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981. He served as the 76th Governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975 and as a state senator from 1963 to 1967. Recent reports claimed his death but the Carter Center has confirmed that he is alive.
Mr. J. Carter began his political career in the 1960s. He served in the Georgia state Senate and served as the 76th governor of Georgia. He ran for president in 1976, winning the Democratic nomination and narrowly defeating incumbent Republican Gerald Ford in the general election. As president, Carter created the Department of Energy and the Department of Education, established full diplomatic relations with China and negotiated the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel.
Mr. Carter lost the 1980 election to Republican Ronald Reagan by a landslide. After leaving office, he founded the Carter Center and remained active in diplomacy and humanitarian causes. In 2002, he received the Nobel Peace Prize for his post-presidential humanitarian work. He is currently 99 years old and will turn 100 on October 1, 2024. Thus, by the age of 100, Carter will be the oldest living former US president.
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Early life and Family Background
Jimmy Carter’s full name is James Earl Carter Jr.. He was born on 1 October 1924 in Plains, Georgia, U.S.A. His father James Earl Carter Sr. was a local businessman, while his mother Lillian Gordy Carter was a registered nurse known for her humanitarian efforts, including serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in India at the age of 68. Carter grew up in a rural environment where he helped with the family’s peanut business.
Education and Military Services
After graduating from high school, Carter enrolled at Georgia Southwestern College, but transferred to the Georgia Institute of Technology. In 1943, he was accepted into the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
Mr. Carter graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1946 and was commissioned as an Ensign. He served in both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets and specialised in submarine warfare. In 1953, after his father’s death, Carter resigned from active duty and returned to Georgia to take over the family’s peanut farm. He served in the U.S. Navy for about seven years.
Early Political Career
Carter’s first foray into politics was as a member of the Sumter County Board of Education, where he served from 1955 to 1962. In 1962, he won a seat in the Georgia State Senate, serving for two terms until 1966. He contested for governor of Georgia in 1966 but lost. However, he successfully ran for re-election in 1970, winning the governorship and serving from 1971 to 1975. As governor, Carter promoted civil rights and made efforts to reduce racial segregation. He opened Georgia government offices to African Americans and women, reorganised state agencies, and gained national attention as a symbol of good government in the “New South.”
Presidential campaign and election
In 1974, Mr. Carter first announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for president. Despite his lack of a national political base, his relentless campaigning and status as an outsider to the Washington establishment impressed voters in the post-Watergate era. After winning the Democratic nomination in July 1976, Carter chose Senator Walter F. Mondale of Minnesota as his running mate. defeated incumbent President Gerald Ford in the general election, winning 51 percent of the popular vote. Carter won 297 electoral votes while Ford got 240 votes, giving him victory in 23 states. Carter was the first candidate to defeat an incumbent president since 1932. He gives all the credit for all this to his mentor Admiral Hyman Rickover, who established him as a politician.
Inauguration and early presidency
Carter’s presidency began with an inauguration ceremony with his wife Rosalynn on Pennsylvania Avenue, which symbolised his connection with the American people. He adopted an informal style, often held press conferences and minimised the formal aspects of the presidency. Despite launching many ambitious programs for social, administrative and economic reform, Carter faced strong opposition in Congress, which hindered his legislative success.
Presidency (1977-1981) and Achievements
Jimmy Carter served as the 39th president of the U.S.A from 1977 to 1981. During this time he achieved several major accomplishments including the signing of the Camp David Accords.
The agreement significantly changed U.S.-Israel relations by establishing a formal peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, the first such agreement between Israel and an Arab state. Signed in 1978, the agreement led to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Sinai Peninsula and normalisation of diplomatic relations, including the exchange of ambassadors and trade agreements. This shift not only stabilised Israel’s southern border but also established the U.S. as a major mediator in Middle Eastern politics, increasing its influence in the region while changing the dynamics of Arab-Israeli relations, notably isolating Egypt from other Arab countries for a time. He also worked on a number of other issues, including the Panama Canal treaties, a focus on human rights, the Department of Education, the SALT II nuclear weapons agreement, the Head Start program, and environmental legislation.
Post-presidency
Carter resigned from the presidency in 1981, largely due to political diplomacy. His presidency was significantly affected by the seizure of 52 American hostages in Iran in 1979, the hostages were held for 444 days until Carter left office. In response to the Soviet invasion in 1979, Carter implemented sanctions against the USSR and boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics. This led to challenges and ultimately his resignation from office.
Humanitarian work
After leaving office in 1981, Carter and his wife Roslyn Plains, Georgia, returned to Georgia and founded the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, which focused on global humanitarian efforts, human rights, and disease prevention. Carter’s work in promoting peace and democracy included mediating conflicts, monitoring elections, and advocating for health initiatives around the world.
Nobel Peace Prize and Continued Advocacy
In 2002, Mr. Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his effort in promoting health and human rights.
He was known for his involvement in building homes for the poor through Habitat for Humanity and wrote several books on various topics including Middle East peace and aging.
Net worth
Jimmy Carter’s net worth is estimated to be between approximately $15 million and $60 million. According to one source, his net worth is approximately $10 million, mainly from his political career and peanut farming.
Another source claims it has grown to around $60 million, thanks to his presidential pension, investments, and royalties from his books. His assets include a significant stock portfolio and a valuable residence in Plains, Georgia, reflecting the diverse income streams he has from his post-presidency activities and investments.
Personal Life
Jimmy Carter was married on 7 July, 1946, to Rosalynn Smith who died on 19 November, 2023, at the age of 96. They have four children: John William (Jack), James Earl III (Chip), Donnell Jeffery (Jeff), and Amy Lynn.
The Carters’ marriage was the longest of any presidential couple in history, lasting 77 years. They met as children in Plains, Georgia, where they both grew up, and began dating in 1945, when Carter was 20 and Rosalynn was 17. Carter is also an accomplished author, having written several books on a variety of topics including his presidency, faith, and global issues. The Carters remained devoted to each other and to their humanitarian work after leaving the White House.
The four children of Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter
John William Carter
Born on July 3, 1947, John William “Jack” Carter is the eldest son of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. He grew up in Plains, Georgia and served in the US Navy during the Vietnam War, where he was discharged for smoking marijuana. He later earned a degree in nuclear physics from Georgia Tech and a law degree from the University of Georgia. Jack ran for the US Senate in Nevada in 2006, but lost to Republican John Ensign. He has two children, Jason and Sarah, from his marriage to Juliet “Judy” Langford, and he later married Elizabeth Brassfield in 1992.
James Earl Carter III
James, born April 12, 1950 in Honolulu, is the second son of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. He was involved in his father’s political campaigns from a young age and later served on the Plains City Council and the Democratic National Committee. Chip has three children: James Earl Carter IV from his first wife Karen Griffin and Margaret Alicia from his second wife Ginger Hodges. He is currently married to Becky Payne and lives in Decatur, Georgia. Chip is also known for a humorous incident involving Willie Nelson during his father’s presidency.
Donnell Jeffery Carter
Donnell Jeffery “Jeff” Carter, born August 18, 1952 in New London, Connecticut, is the third son of Jimmy Carter. He graduated from George Washington University in 1978 and co-founded Computer Mapping Consultants. Jeff married Annette Davis in 1975 and they had three sons: Joshua (born 1984), Jeremy (born 1987, died 2015) and James (born 1991). Annette passed away in 2021. Jeff Carter is known for maintaining a low profile while supporting his family’s public service legacy.
Amy Carter
Amy Carter is the only daughter and youngest child of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter who was born on October 19, 1967. graduated from Memphis College of Art and earned a master’s degree in art history from Tulane University. They have one son, Hugo James Wentzel, born in 1999, and he has been on the Carter Center’s board of councilors since 2020.
Conclusion
Jimmy Carter’s rise from a rural area to the presidency is a result of his public service, integrity, and his commitment to humanitarian work. Despite difficult challenges such as the Iran hostage crisis, his contributions to global diplomacy and efforts to improve the humanitarian condition established him as a successful politician. His life exemplifies public service, integrity, and commitment to the pursuit of peace and justice.
FAQs
Ans: October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia.
Ans: He served as a submariner in the U.S. Navy.
Ans: He was the Governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975.
Ans: From January 20, 1977, to January 20, 1981.
Ans: The Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt in 1978.
Ans: The Carter Center, established in 1982.
Ans: The Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian efforts.
Ans: Over 30 books.
Ans: He is known for woodworking and painting.
Ans: He was married to Rosalynn Carter for over 77 years until her passing in 2023
