On Sunday, December 29, Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, passed away in his home in Plains, Georgia. He died at the age of 100 years old. Jimmy Carter served as president from 1977 to 1981. Jimmy Carter’s presidency was controversial because he was regarded as one of the most unpopular presidents in modern times. However, his relatively unsuccessful presidential legacy was quickly overshadowed by his tireless philanthropic and public service efforts.
On October 1, 1924, Jimmy Carter was born in Plains, Georgia to James Sr. and Lillian Gordy Carter. He spent his youth there until 1946 when he graduated from the US Naval Academy. A month later, he married Rosalynn Smith in his home, and they went on to have four children. From that point on to 1953, Carter served in a Navy nuclear submarine Program as a lieutenant commander. Not long after, he left the program to run his family’s farm after his father passed away. Once things ran smoothly at his family’s farm, Jimmy Carter served in the Georgia State Senate from 1963 to 1966. Soon, he became the governor of Georgia until 1975. As governor, Carter pushed for more funding in schools and teaching salaries. He also worked to limit racial segregation in schools. Carter also successfully established policies to protect the state’s natural resources, such as creating new parks and limiting the curb of pollution. These were just some of the many achievements the former president achieved as governor of Georgia.
After serving as governor, Jimmy Carter decided to run for president as the Democrat candidate and was elected in January 1977. His period as president is when his career took a controversial turn. His term had a mix of many economic struggles, like stagflation, high inflation, and a high unemployment rate. This created a period of slow economic growth in America. Another issue was the Iran Hostage Crisis, where 52 Americans were held captive for 444 days, which damaged his image, especially after a failed rescue mission. His leadership skills were seen as weak and useless. His negative opinions of former President Ronald Reagan also played a massive role in his unpopularity. He believed Reagan’s conservative and militaristic approaches weren’t effective compared to his diplomacy and social progress values.
Jimmy Carter’s presidency did, however, consist of many outstanding achievements that still influence America today. For example, the Camp David Accord on September 17, 1978, created a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. Another achievement was the Energy Policy and Conservation from 1977-1979, which made the Department of Energy, which promoted solar energy, wind energy, and fuel efficiency. Additionally, he initiated the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which protected 100 million acres of land in Alaska, protecting wildlife refuges and conservation areas. This was the most significant land conservation effort in America at the time.
Throughout his life, Jimmy Carter was always seen as an honest person and lived a life dedicated to integrity. He was an advocate for human rights and continued to do extraordinary humanitarian work even after his presidency (examples of this are building homes for people experiencing homelessness and creating a “Carter Center” to treat diseases like guinea worm disease). He was also highly respected for his dedication to peace, which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for reducing tensions in the Middle East. These attributes significantly improved Jimmy Carter’s reputation after his presidency and created a legacy of philanthropy, compassion, and service for others.