Jimmy Carter: A Spotlight On Hope And Astonishing Service

Former President Jimmy Carter has passed away at the age of 100. The 39th President of the United States lead a life that was a perfect example of service. Jimmy Carter was born and raised in Plains, Georgia. He served as an officer in the US Navy after graduating from the Naval Academy. He was a Georgia State Senator from 1963-1967, Georgia Governer from 1971-1975, and he was elected to the White House in 1977.

President Carter’s early years were shaped by rural life and hard work. He was the first U.S. president born in a hospital, and he grew up in a farming community that didn't even have electricity until he was a teenager. These formative years instilled in him a strong work ethic and an understanding of the struggles faced by ordinary Americans. Carter only spent 7 years active in the US Nave before he returned to Plains, GA after his father’s death to take over the family’s peanut business.

Carter’s political journey began with his election to the Georgia State Senate in 1962, eventually leading to his tenure as Georgia’s governor in 1971. His inaugural address declaring “the time of racial discrimination is over” was probably one of the boldest moves by a Governer of a southern state. It cemented him as a progressive leader in the south. Carter was a president that focused on human rights, pushed for peace in the Middle East with the Camp David Accords, and he handled the economic challenges of his time with a strong will.

Despite all of that it was Carter’s post-presidency that he will most likely be remembered for in the future. He founded the Carter Center in 1982, and he dedicated himself to global peace, disease eradication, and election monitoring. You could often see him hammering alongside volunteers in his 90s working while working with Habitat for Humanity.

He remained a pillar of his community in Plains, GA by teaching Sunday school and living humbly despite his global stature. Carter was married to his wife Rosalynn, for 77 years, and his tireless efforts to help others reflected a life of love and purpose. Jimmy Carter was a politician, but above all he was a man of dignity and honor.