Former President Jimmy Carter, Nobel Prize Winner, Dies at 100

Former President James “Jimmy” Carter, 100, passed away peacefully at home on December 29, 2024. The 39^th president of the United States who also served as the 76th governor of Georgia was born and raised in Plains, Georgia. The son of a peanut farmer and a nurse was reared with a life full of peanut farming, political talk, and devotion to the Baptist faith. Former President Carter graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946 and became Lieutenant James Earl Carter Jr. 

His political career began in 1962 when he entered state politics. He was elected Governor of Georgia eight years later. Carter emphasized ecology; efficiency in government; and the removal of racial barriers. 

“I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over … No poor, rural, weak, or black person should ever again have to bear the additional burden of being deprived of the opportunity for an education, a job, or simple justice,” Carter said during his inaugural address as Governor of Georgia, January 12, 1971.

Former President Jimmy Carter later announced his presidential candidacy in December 1974.  He became the longest-lived president in U.S. history.

“With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe,” said President Joe Biden in a statement.

While announcing Carter’s death, Biden described the former president as someone who championed conservation; illustrated a commitment to a more just world at the heart of his foreign policy; a leader on nuclear nonproliferation; signer of the Panama Canal treaties; and mediator of the historic 1978 Camp David Accords.

The leader, statesman, and humanitarian also became known as a man of high principle away from The White House. He and his wife, Rosalynn Carter founded The Carter Center.  Former President Carter continued to expand and campaign for human rights while remaining dedicated to public service in his work that included campaigning for human rights; mediating conflicts around the world; and fighting debilitating diseases in developing countries.

He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his humanitarian efforts, and for his commitment from the time of his presidency to “the principles that conflicts must as far as possible be resolved through mediation and international co-operation based on international law, respect for human rights, and economic development,” according to information provided by The Carter Center.

Carter played a key role as a volunteer for the nonprofit housing organization, Habitat for Humanity, along with his wife. The couple became champions of affordable, decent housing. President Carter became a member of the organization’s board of directors, serving from 1984-1987.

“We are deeply saddened by President Carter’s passing, and our prayers are with the Carter family,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International in a statement. “President and Mrs. Carter began volunteering with Habitat for Humanity near their home in southwest Georgia more than 40 years ago, and soon brought worldwide attention to the need for decent and affordable housing. We are grateful for the incredible impact the Carters have had on Habitat and on the families who have benefited from their shining example. The Carters put Habitat for Humanity on the map, and their legacy lives on in every family we serve around the world.”

 The humble former president believed in the power of human goodness; the value of brokering peace; and giving others dignity. 

“Rosalynn and I have strived to advance human rights in countries around the world. In this quest, we have seen that silence can be as deadly as violence. People of power, privilege, and moral conscience must stand up and say ‘no more’ to a racially discriminatory police and justice system, immoral economic disparities between whites and blacks, and government actions that undermine our unified democracy. We are responsible for creating a world of peace and equality for ourselves and future generations,” Jimmy Carter said in 2020.

President Joe Biden appointed January 9, 2025 as a National Day of Mourning throughout the United States.

“I call on the American people to assemble on that day in their respective places of worship, there to pay homage to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr.  I invite the people of the world who share our grief to join us in this solemn observance,” he said.

The Carter Center reported that public observances for former President Carter will be held in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., followed by a private interment in Plains, Georgia.