Jimmy Carter, the dedicated Georgia peanut farmer who faced economic challenges and the Iran hostage crisis during his presidency but achieved a historic peace agreement between Israel and Egypt and later earned the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian efforts, passed away on Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100.
A former Georgia governor and Baptist pastor, Carter brought a deep moral compass to his presidency, often expressing his religious faith openly. He championed efforts to combat racism, nuclear proliferation, and poverty, seeking to bridge divides and promote understanding. His landmark foreign policy achievement was the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty, founded on the Camp David Accords, which marked the end of a prolonged state of war between the two nations.
The treaty weathered several crises, including a war between Egypt and Israel and the 1981 assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. It remained in effect even after Hosni Mubarak’s removal in 2011 and the sacking of the Israeli Embassy in Cairo by mobs.
Other notable achievements of the Carter administration included enacting legislation to create the Cabinet-level Department of Education, appointing Blacks, women, and Hispanics to top federal positions, appointing Nelson Mandela to a group that worked for peace and human rights, and creating the Superfund program to clean up hazardous waste sites. His steadfast approach to issues sometimes alienated his colleagues, including members of his party.
After leaving office in January 1993, Carter focused on international diplomacy and charitable causes. He tirelessly advocated disease and hunger reduction, helping to found the Carter Center. He often could be seen, hammer in hand, working with Habitat for Humanity to build affordable housing for families. He also worked to combat climate change.
In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, advance democracy and human rights, and promote economic and social development. Throughout his life, Carter fought for what he believed was right and would not be silenced by critics.
Berit Reiss-Andersen, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, presented the award in Oslo, Norway. She said the prize reflected “Jimmy Carter’s untiring efforts to save humanity from starvation and conflict.”
Carter, the son of a railroad worker and a seamstress, grew up on a family farm that shipped peanuts across the South. As a boy, he had many chores on the farm, but the one he liked least was poisoning cotton buds to kill boll weevils that were damaging the plants. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1946 and became a submariner. He married Rosalynn Smith the same year, and they remained together for more than 77 years. Their devotion to each other and their work as public servants made them a beloved couple. They were the longest-married presidential couple in history. They were also among the first to establish a family foundation, demonstrating their deep commitment toward service to others. Their enduring love was a model to their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.