Before he was president, Carter grew up on a farm in Georgia. He helped harvest cotton, peanuts, sugar cane, and corn before he left for college at the United States Naval Academy. After serving in the Navy, Carter returned to his hometown of Plains, Georgia, to take over the family peanut farm.
Carter's political career began in the 1960s when he served on the Sumter County Board of Education. He then went on to serve in Georgia's General Assembly for two terms and had a four-year stint as Georgia's governor before running for president in 1976.
During his presidency, Carter prioritized human rights, energy conservation, and environmental protection. He also played a key role in the historic peace agreement between Israel and Egypt in 1978.
After leaving office in 1981, Carter continued to be active in public service through his work with the Carter Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting peace, health, and human rights around the world. He also became a prolific author, writing over 30 books on a variety of topics.
Today, at 98 years old, Carter is the oldest living former US president. He is currently receiving hospice care at his home in Georgia.
For residents of the rural hamlet of Plains, Georgia, there is only one thing more beloved than its famed crop the peanut, and that is Jimmy Carter. The 550 residents of Plains are preparing to say goodbye to one of their own, America's last rural president.
Despite his humble beginnings as a peanut farmer, Carter's impact on American politics and global affairs cannot be overstated. He might have been an unlikely candidate for president, but his dedication to public service and commitment to human rights made him a leader to be admired.
In honor of Carter's 98th birthday, here are some of his most inspiring quotes:
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"We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams."
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"I have one life and one chance to make it count for something... My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference."
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"Human rights is the soul of our foreign policy, because human rights is the very soul of our sense of nationhood."
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"The best way to enhance freedom in other lands is to demonstrate here that our democratic system is worthy of emulation."
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"We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles."
