Former President Jimmy Carter Passes Away

Katherine Dorrer

International News Editor

Former President James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th President of the United States of America, passed away on December 29th, 2024, at the age of 100, according to an announcement from the White House. Following his presidency, Carter dedicated his life to humanitarian efforts, advocating for human rights and democracy worldwide. 

President Carter was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, into a farming family shaped by the Great Depression and Baptist values. He graduated in the top 10 percent of his class at the U.S. Naval Academy and served in the Navy’s nuclear submarine program from 1946 to 1953, rising to lieutenant commander, states  The Associated Press. After his father’s death in 1953, Carter returned to Plains to run the family peanut farm. Active in local politics during the Civil Rights Movement, he advocated for desegregation and served on the Sumter County Board of Education. He later served in the Georgia State Senate (1963-1966) and as governor of Georgia (1971-1975).

Carter’s political career took a turning point in 1974 when he announced his presidential bid, despite being largely unknown, with an Atlanta newspaper famously asking, “Jimmy Who?” His outsider status, centrist policies as Georgia governor, and promise of honesty helped him overcome skepticism, according to Reuters. Pledging, “I will never lie to you,” he resonated with a nation disillusioned by the Watergate Scandal. In the 1976 election, Carter defeated Gerald Ford, winning 51 percent of the vote and 297 electoral votes to Ford’s 240, and was sworn in as the 39th president in January 1977. 

Jimmy Carter’s presidential tenure was marked by significant achievements and mounting challenges that ultimately shaped his legacy. When Carter took office, he quickly made bold moves, including pardoning Vietnam War draft evaders to heal a divided nation, states the Miller Center. One of his most significant foreign policy successes came in September 1978 when he brokered the Camp David Accords, a historic peace agreement between Israel and Egypt. The agreement led to Israel’s withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, widely regarded as Carter’s greatest foreign policy achievement. 

Carter’s presidency faced major challenges in 1979, including the energy crisis and rising inflation. His “Crisis of Confidence” speech backfired, and the Iran hostage crisis further damaged his approval ratings, states the Office of the Historian. In the 1980 election, Carter was decisively defeated by Ronald Reagan, winning only 49 electoral votes to Reagan’s 489. While Carter had early successes like recognizing China and passing key legislation, his presidency was overshadowed by economic struggles.

After leaving the White House, Carter dedicated his efforts on humanitarian work through The Carter Center, which he and his wife, Rosalynn, founded. He made eradicating the Guinea worm parasite a central mission, leading a decades-long effort to eliminate it from the world’s poorest regions. Carter’s post-presidency endeavors also included building homes with Habitat for Humanity and teaching Sunday school at his Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, highlights The Guardian. In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his lifelong dedication to promoting peace and addressing global inequality. 

President Biden has announced that a day of mourning will be observed on January 9, with U.S. stock markets closed in tribute to former President Jimmy Carter, Associated Press writes. Funeral services will take place from January 4 to 9, starting with a state funeral in Georgia. On January 8, Carter will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol. Following a National Funeral Service at Washington National Cathedral on January 9, his remains will return to Georgia for a private funeral and interment in Plains, with a U.S. Navy flyover in his honor.

Jimmy Carter’s passing marks the end of an era, leaving behind a legacy of humanitarian work, peacebuilding, and service to the nation. As he once said, “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence,” a testament he told to the regarding the impact he made on countless lives.

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