Jimmy Carter (born 1st October 1924, Age: 99 years old), the 39th president of the United States, is a remarkable figure in American history. He has lived a long and fruitful life, marked by his dedication to public service, human rights, peace, and democracy. He has also faced many challenges and hardships, both during and after his presidency, but he has never given up on his ideals and values. He is widely respected and admired for his post-presidential work, which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. He is also the oldest and longest-lived U.S. president, celebrating his 99th birthday on October 1, 2023.
In this article, we will explore the life and achievements of Jimmy Carter, from his humble beginnings in rural Georgia to his remarkable career as a politician, philanthropist, and elder statesman. We will also look at some of the facts and figures that illustrate his personality, legacy, and impact on the world.
Early Life and Family
Jimmy Carter was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, to James Earl Carter Sr. and Bessie Lillian Gordy. He was the eldest of four children and grew up in a modest farmhouse. His father was a farmer and businessman who ran a general store and invested in farmlands. His mother was a registered nurse who worked in a hospital and cared for the poor and the black community. Carter was influenced by both of his parents, who taught him the values of hard work, honesty, compassion, and faith.
Physical Appearance
Jimmy Carter is 5 ft 9½ in or 176.5 cm tall, which is slightly above the average height for American men. He has a slim and fit build and weighs around 70 kg or 154.5 lbs. He has maintained a healthy weight throughout his life and has avoided obesity and related diseases.
Jimmy has blue eyes and gray hair, which he inherited from his parents, who were of mostly English, Welsh, Irish, and Scots-Irish ancestry. He also has some German, Scottish, French, and Dutch roots, which may have contributed to his diverse and distinctive features.
Educational Background
Carter was interested in agriculture, science, and sports from a young age. He helped his father with the farm chores and learned how to grow peanuts, cotton, and corn. He also developed a passion for reading and education, thanks to his mother, who encouraged him to pursue his intellectual curiosity. He attended Plains High School, where he excelled academically and was active in various clubs and activities. He graduated in 1941 as the class valedictorian and received a full scholarship to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology.

However, Carter had a different plan for his future. He wanted to join the U.S. Navy and become a naval officer. He applied to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and was accepted in 1943. He spent two years at the academy, where he studied engineering, mathematics, and physics. He also met his future wife, Rosalynn Smith, who was a friend of his sister Ruth. They married on July 7, 1946, shortly after Carter graduated from the academy with a Bachelor of Science degree.
Spouse- Rosalynn Carter
Jimmy Carter’s wife is Rosalynn Carter, who was born on August 18, 1927, in Plains, Georgia. She was a childhood friend and neighbor of Jimmy, and they married on July 7, 1946, shortly after he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. She was a supportive and influential partner of Jimmy throughout his naval, political, and philanthropic careers.
She was also an active and accomplished first lady, who championed causes such as mental health, human rights, women’s rights, and peace. She co-founded the Carter Center with Jimmy in 1982 and has been involved in its various projects and missions around the world.

She also wrote several books, including First Lady from Plains (1984), Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life (1987), and Within Our Reach: Ending the Mental Health Crisis (2010). She was diagnosed with dementia in 2023 and entered hospice care in November 2023. She died on November 19, 2023, at the age of 96, after 77 years of marriage with Jimmy.
Children & Grandchildren
Jimmy Carter’s kids are John William “Jack” Carter, James Earl “Chip” Carter III, Donnel Jeffrey “Jeff” Carter, and Amy Lynn Carter. They were born between 1947 and 1967 and grew up in Georgia and Washington, D.C. They followed their parents’ footsteps in pursuing public service, activism, and business.

Jimmy Carter’s grandkids are Jason Carter, James Carter IV, Hugo James Wentzel, Sarah Carter, Jeremy Carter, Joshua Carter, Symone Carter, James Earl Carter V, Margaret Carter, Thomas Carter, Samuel Carter, Elizabeth Carter, Nancy Carter, Emily Carter, Zachary Carter, Nicholas Carter, Henry Carter, and Ella Carter. They were born between 1975 and 2019, and they are the children of Jimmy and Rosalynn’s four children and their spouses. They have various careers and interests, such as law, politics, journalism, art, education, health, and business. Some of them have followed their grandparents’ footsteps in becoming involved in public service, human rights, and philanthropy.
Jimmy Carter Wiki/Bio
Name | Jimmy Carter |
Birth name | James Earl Carter Jr. |
Born | October 1, 1924 (age 99) in Plains, Georgia, U.S. |
Spouse | Rosalynn Carter (m. 1946–2023) |
Children | Jack Carter, James Carter, Donnel Carter, Amy Carter |
Grandchildren | Jason Carter, James Carter IV, Hugo James Wentzel, Sarah Carter, Jeremy Carter, Joshua Carter, Symone Carter, James Earl Carter V, Margaret Carter, Thomas Carter, Samuel Carter, Elizabeth Carter, Nancy Carter, Emily Carter, Zachary Carter, Nicholas Carter, Henry Carter, Ella Carter |
Education | Georgia Institute of Technology (1942–1943), U.S. Naval Academy (B.S., 1946), Union College (graduate courses, 1952–1953) |
Military service | U.S. Navy (1946–1953), Lieutenant, Submarine officer |
Occupation | Farmer, politician, philanthropist, author |
Awards | Nobel Peace Prize (2002), Presidential Medal of Freedom (1999), United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights (1998), Four Freedoms Award (1987), and many others |
Net worth | $10 million (as of 2021) |
Political party | Democratic |
Political offices | 39th President of the United States (1977–1981), 76th Governor of Georgia (1971–1975), Member of the Georgia State Senate (1963–1967) |
presidentjimmycarter | |
Homepage | newsunzip.com |
Naval Career and Farming Business
Carter began his naval career as an ensign and served on various ships and submarines. He was fascinated by the emerging field of nuclear energy and applied to the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarine program, which was led by Admiral Hyman G. Rickover. Carter was one of the few officers who passed the rigorous selection process and was assigned to work on the design and development of the USS Seawolf, the second nuclear-powered submarine in the U.S. Navy. He also attended the Union College in Schenectady, New York, where he took graduate courses in nuclear physics and reactor technology.

Jimmy Carter had a promising career in the Navy, but his life took a different turn when his father died in 1953. He felt a sense of duty and responsibility to take over his father’s farming business and to care for his mother and siblings. He resigned from the Navy and returned to Plains, Georgia, with his wife and three sons. He faced many difficulties and challenges in running the farm, which was in debt and suffered from drought and pests. He also had to deal with the racial segregation and discrimination that prevailed in the South at the time. He became an advocate for racial equality and justice and joined the local Baptist church, where he taught Sunday school and served as a deacon.
Carter gradually turned his farm into a successful and profitable enterprise, using his scientific and engineering skills to improve the irrigation, fertilization, and mechanization of the land. He also diversified his crops and expanded his markets, selling not only peanuts, but also cotton, soybeans, corn, and wheat. He became a respected and influential leader in the farming community and was elected to the board of directors of the Plains Cooperative and the Georgia Peanut Producers Association. He also became interested in politics and public affairs and decided to run for office.
Political Career and Presidency
Carter entered politics in 1962 when he ran for a seat in the Georgia State Senate. He campaigned as a moderate Democrat who supported civil rights, education, and economic development. He faced a tough and controversial election, which involved voter fraud and legal disputes, but he eventually won the seat by a narrow margin. He served in the state senate for two terms, from 1963 to 1967, and gained a reputation as a reformer and a progressive. He also made connections and alliances with other politicians and leaders, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Zell Miller, and Carl Sanders.

In 1966, Carter decided to run for governor of Georgia, but he lost the Democratic primary to Lester Maddox, a segregationist and populist. He learned from his defeat and planned for his next campaign in 1970. He changed his strategy and image, and appealed to both the conservative and liberal voters. He portrayed himself as a new type of Democrat, who was honest, independent, and pragmatic. He also distanced himself from the national Democratic Party, which was unpopular in the South due to its stance on the Vietnam War and civil rights. He won the primary and the general election and became the 76th governor of Georgia in 1971.
As governor, Carter pursued a progressive and reformist agenda, which included improving education, health care, environment, transportation, and human rights. He appointed more women and minorities to state positions, abolished the death penalty, reduced the size of the government, increased the budget for social services, and promoted economic growth and tourism. He also supported the civil rights movement and denounced racial discrimination and segregation. He famously declared in his inaugural speech, “The time for racial discrimination is over.”
Carter’s popularity and achievements as governor attracted national attention and recognition. He was seen as a rising star and a potential presidential candidate. He decided to run for president in 1976 after Richard Nixon’s resignation and Gerald Ford’s pardon of him had eroded the public’s trust and confidence in the government. He campaigned as an outsider and an alternative to the Washington establishment, who could restore integrity, morality, and competence to the presidency. He also emphasized his Christian faith, his humble origins, and his common sense. He faced a crowded and competitive field of Democratic rivals, such as Ted Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, and George Wallace, but he managed to win the nomination after a long and hard-fought primary.
In the general election, Carter faced the incumbent president, Gerald Ford, who was hampered by the legacy of Watergate, the economic recession, and the foreign policy failures. Carter presented himself as a visionary and a peacemaker, who could heal the nation’s wounds and lead it to a new era of prosperity and security. He also appealed to the voters’ emotions and values, using his slogan, “Why not the best?” He won the election by a narrow margin, receiving 50.1% of the popular vote and 297 electoral votes.
Carter was sworn in as the 39th president of the United States on January 20, 1977. He faced a difficult and turbulent time, both at home and abroad. He had to deal with the energy crisis, inflation, unemployment, budget deficit, environmental issues, and human rights violations. He also had to cope with the Cold War, the Middle East conflict, the Panama Canal treaties, the Iran hostage crisis, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. He tried to address these challenges with his vision, courage, and innovation, but he also encountered many obstacles, opposition, and criticism, from both his allies and his enemies.
Some of Carter’s achievements and accomplishments as president include:
- Jimmy Carter created a national energy policy that aimed to reduce the dependence on foreign oil, increase the use of renewable sources, conserve resources, and regulate the prices.
- Carter negotiated the Camp David Accords, which resulted in a historic peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, ending decades of war and hostility.
- He signed the Panama Canal Treaties, which transferred the control and operation of the canal from the U.S. to Panama, ending a long-standing dispute and improving relations with Latin America.
- He initiated the SALT II (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) with the Soviet Union, which sought to limit the number and types of nuclear weapons and to prevent a nuclear war.
- He established diplomatic relations with China, which opened the door for trade, cultural, and political exchanges, and reduced the tension and isolation in the region.
- He supported the human rights movement around the world and condemned the abuses and violations committed by authoritarian regimes, such as in South Africa, Argentina, Chile, and Iran.
- Carter expanded the national park system, and created new wilderness areas, wildlife refuges, and historic sites, to protect the natural and cultural heritage of the country.
- Carter reformed the civil service system and improved the efficiency, accountability, and diversity of the federal government.
- He granted amnesty to the Vietnam War draft evaders and pardoned them for their refusal to serve in the military.
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