Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States of America, passed away on December 29th, 2024. His funeral was held on January 9th, 2025, with the attendance list including all five living presidents (George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden) as well as other influential figures such as Vice President Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton. Numerous presidential competitors and members of opposing political parties, such as former President Barack Obama and Donald Trump, were seated near or next to each other. Even after his passing, Mr. Carter’s legacy continues to live on, bringing people of all backgrounds together to honor his life and his accomplishments (CNN).
Previous to his ascension to presidency, James ‘Jimmy’ Carter was born in the small town of Plains, Georgia on October 1st, 1924 to a farmer/businessman father and a nurse mother. He graduated in 1946 from the United States Naval Academy, going on to work for the nuclear submarine program in Schenectady, New York. Following the death of his father, James Earl Carter, and his marriage to Rosalynn Smith, Carter returned home to Plains and took on various leadership roles in his town. Eventually, he reached statewide recognition once he was elected to the Georgia Senate, and then, after one gubernatorial election loss, he became Georgia’s 76th governor. Finally, on December 12th, 1974, three years after his term as governor started, Carter announced his campaign for presidency, winning his party’s nomination at the 1976 Democratic National Convention (The Carter Center).
Carter was elected as president on November 2nd, 1976. Under his administration, the Panama Canal treaties, the Camp David accords, the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, and the establishment of diplomatic relations with China were passed. He created a comprehensive energy program in connection with a new Department of Energy, an extensive educational program with a new Department of Education, and environmental protection policies that doubled national park size and tripled wilderness size (The Carter Center).

After he lost his re-election to Ronald Reagan, he continued his fight for worldwide human rights, founding the nonprofit Carter Center in 1982. The Carter Center addressed public national and international issues, including diseases, democracy, and diplomacy, mediating numerous international conflicts. Up until two years before his death, Carter volunteered at Habitat for Humanity, helping build houses for people who needed them (The Carter Center). When asked about Carter’s post-presidency humanitarian efforts, Language Arts teacher Ms. Zywiciel (S) said, “He was 90 years old building houses for people that needed them and I think for anyone to do that in their retirement, let alone a former president, is a great example for us all.” It was these same activities that make him an example to be followed that earned him the Nobel Peace prize in 2002.
James ‘Jimmy’ Carter, the 39th president, dedicated his life to working to make the world a better place. He enlisted in the Navy to serve first the country, then focused his efforts on his town, his state, and then his country once again. He was an example of what a great president should be, but in the end, it’s up to us as American citizens to follow his lead.