By Caitlyn Meisner | Contributor
Former United States president James “Jimmy” Earl Carter Jr. died Sunday at his home in Plains, Ga., at the age of 100, according to his office. Carter served as the 39th president from 1977 to 1981.
Carter paused “additional medical attention” in February 2023 at the age of 98. The Carter Center release from Feb. 18, 2023, stated he would receive hospice care instead and spend his remaining time in Plains with family.
Carter makes history as the first U.S. president to reach their 100th birthday. He was also the first president to have been born in a hospital on Oct. 1, 1924. Carter has outlived two of the presidents that succeeded him — Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush — and his own vice president, Walter Mondale, who died in 2021.
He survived a battle with skin cancer that spread to his liver and brain in 2015. Carter also survived many falls resulting in a broken hip, a minor pelvic fracture and brain bleeding in 2019.
One of the last times Carter was seen in public was on Nov. 28, 2023, to attend his wife, Rosalynn Carter’s, funeral, who died earlier that month. The couple was married for 77 years and had known each other virtually for their entire lives. The former first lady was diagnosed with dementia in May 2023.
This past October, Carter’s family stated the former president was excited to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in the recent election.
“America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian,” President Joe Biden said in a Sunday statement. “Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well.”
Before becoming president in 1977, Carter served as a Georgia state senator from 1963 to 1967, and then served as a one-term Georgia governor from 1971 to 1975. He ran for president and beat incumbent President Gerald Ford in 1977. Carter attended the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and served as a naval officer for seven years.
Many believe Carter was an anomalous president: the first and only southern Baptist Democrat who came to power following the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War. He dedicated his presidency to foreign policy matters, mainly in the Middle East. He was also considered a political outsider to many Washington elites.
He was determined to focus on human rights and move away from the Cold War fixation that had plagued presidents of the past.
“We know a peaceful world cannot long exist one-third rich and two-thirds hungry,” Carter said in his May 1977 commencement address to the University of Notre Dame. “We have reaffirmed America’s commitment to human rights as a fundamental tenet of our foreign policy. What draws us together, perhaps more than anything else, is a belief in human freedom.”
These efforts did not stop when he left the presidency in 1981; he and Rosalynn founded the Carter Center, a foundation dedicated to human rights, freedom and democracy across the globe. The center has multiple peace and health programs on every continent, including Russia, China, India, North Korea, Israel and Haiti.
The Carters are credited for putting Habitat for Humanity “on the map” due to their intense involvement with the nonprofit after their time in the White House. For more than 35 years, the couple raised awareness for the need for affordable housing and began a partnership with Habitat through the Carter Work Project.
“The Carters’ relentless dedication to Habitat and its mission have been instrumental in raising awareness to house issues across the globe,” Habitat for Humanity said via email to The Lariat in 2023. “They are champions and groundbreaking voices for affordable, decent housing for all.”
Habitat said they have been “deeply honored” for the Carters’ involvement because the organization has become nationally recognized for its work.
“They’ve touched the lives of thousands of Habitat homeowners and volunteers and inspired millions across the globe,” Habitat said.
Carter’s passion for human rights is deeply rooted in his Baptist faith. He said his framework came from his Christianity, but more specifically his reading of the Hebrew prophets.
“My earliest and most basic service inspirations have come from my Christian faith, encouraged by others who have been dedicated to serving others and learning to treat those who are served with mutual respect,” Carter said to Habitat for Humanity.
Starting in the 1980s, Carter was teaching Sunday School at his home church, Maranatha Baptist.
“I worship Jesus Christ, whom we Christians consider to be the Prince of Peace,” Carter said at his 2002 Nobel Peace Prize speech. “Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews and others can embrace each other in a common effort to alleviate human suffering.
“We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other’s children,” Carter said.
Habitat said Carter’s service came from his Christian faith, and it’s evident in his work.
“His sheer humbleness and willingness to serve has inspired thousands … and we can see that through his hands-on service with Habitat builds and his tireless advocacy.”
Throughout his presidency, Carter accomplished much, but also experienced several setbacks. He is credited with creating the Department of Education, bolstering Social Security, appointing record numbers of women and people of color along with expanding the national park system and confronting the American energy crisis. He further solidified diplomatic relations with China and brought about a friendly relationship between Egypt and Israel.
Carter’s setbacks include the Iranian hostage crisis, which dominated the last 14 months of his presidency. He is also often associated with “stagflation,” a combination of high inflation and economic stagnation during the 1970s. Carter famously delivered his “crisis of confidence” speech in 1979 where he addressed the nation about the energy and economic crises.
“The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and political fabric of America,” Carter said during his speech. “We simply must have faith in each other, faith in our ability to govern ourselves and faith in the future of this nation. Restoring that faith and that confidence to America is now the most important task we face.”
Despite mixed emotions about his presidency, many still revere the man that held the Oval Office 50 years ago. Former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton released a joint statement Sunday afternoon, praising Carter’s career.
“From his commitment to civil rights as a state senator and governor of Georgia; to his efforts as president to protect our natural resources … and secure peace between Egypt and Israel to Camp David; to his post-presidential efforts at the Carter Center … he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world,” the statement read.
Former President George W. Bush posted to social media to commemorate Carter.
“[Carter] was a man of deeply held convictions. He was loyal to his family, his community and his country. President Carter dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn’t end with the presidency. His work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations,” Bush wrote.
“President Carter taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice and service,” former President Barack Obama said in a social media post. “Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from this remarkable man.”
President-elect Donald Trump also released a statement on Truth Social about Carter’s death.
“Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History,” Trump said. “The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”
Dr. Dave Bridge, associate professor of political science at Baylor, said Carter “might have the most admired post-presidency legacy of any modern president.”
“His work with Habitat for Humanity is praised by Democrats and Republicans alike,” Bridge said. “He did a lot — across the world — for human rights, and he was a key figure in multiple peace accords. In many ways, he set the standard for what former presidents could do after they leave office.”
In his lifetime, Carter authored 32 books. Some of his most notable titles include “Faith: A Journey for All,” “Sunday Mornings in Plains: Bible Study with Jimmy Carter” and “A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence and Power.”
“My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights and unselfish love,” Chip, one of his sons, said in the Carter Center’s statement.
He is survived by his four children: John, Chip, Jeff and Amy. He is also survived by a combined 25 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
