JIMMY CARTER,
1924-2024

Jimmy Carter, who served as our 39th president and went on to spend decades as an activist for social justice, died Sunday (12/29) at the age of 100. According to a statement issued by the Carter Center, he was “surrounded by family” in his final moments.

Carter rose from modest means as a farmer in Plains, Georgia to become governor of that state, a prelude to his taking the White House in 1976. As president, he was hailed for brokering a peace deal between Egypt and Israel, spending two weeks at the bargaining table with Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin. The end of his term was marred by Iran taking 52 Americans hostage and holding them for over a year, which ultimately led to his losing the 1980 election to Ronald Reagan.

He stepped away from electoral politics after that one term in office, but remained committed to public service, founding the housing relief organization Habitat for Humanity in 1976. Since its founding, the non-profit has helped 29 million people with housing, building scores of new homes and offering funds to refurbish existing ones.

Vice-President Kamala Harris issued a statement saying “President Jimmy Carter was guided by a deep and abiding faith—in God, in America, and in humanity. He reminded our nation and the world that there is strength in decency and compassion. Our world is a better place because of President Carter.”

President Biden said, “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.”

Carter was also known as a friend to the music industry, through his well-publicized friendships with Bob Dylan, the Allman Brothers (who performed at his fundraisers and regularly visited his White House) and Aretha Franklin, who made her first appearance at a presidential inaugural when she sang “God Bless America” for him in 1977.

The former president was also a fixture in media, writing 32 books and recording multiple albums, earning 10 Grammy nominations and three wins in the Best Spoken Word album category, for Faith - A Journey For All (2018), A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety (2015) and Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis (2005).

He’s currently nominated for a posthumous Grammy in the Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording category for Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration (Virgin Music) which blends the final Sunday School lessons Carter gave at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown of Plains with recordings by Jon Batiste, LeAnn Rimes and Darius Rucker, among others.

President Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington.