Jimmy Carter
All Jimmy Carter Facts
#1 - Jimmy Carter was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, making him the first U.S. president to be born in a hospital.
#2 - As a child Jimmy Carter lived in a rural community without electricity, and he used kerosene lamps for lighting. He was a standout basketball player and went by the nickname, "Hot Shot."
#3 - Jimmy Carter attended the United States Naval Academy and graduated in 1946. He went on to serve as a naval officer on a various submarines in the years following World War II.
#4 - Jimmy Carter was a peanut farmer before entering politics, managing over 600 acres of farmland.He became interested in politics while serving on the local school board in Plains, Georgia.
#5 - Jimmy's first elected position was as member of the Georgia State Senate from 1963 to 1967. He lost a run for governor in 1966, but In 1970, Carter was elected as the governor of Georgia, serving one term from 1971 to 1975.
#6 - During his time as a State Senator Jimmy Carter played a pivotal role in establishing the Georgia Regional Junior College system. Expanding access to higher education across the state and providing students with localized options for academic advancement.
#7 - After his term in the State Senate Jimmy Carter returned to the family farm, wrote a book titled "Why Not the Best?" and became involved in various local affairs. Had the run for Governor of Georgia been successful in 1966 who knows how Jimmy's life would have turned out.
#8 - Jimmy Carter's run for Governor of Georgia in 1970 way no easy task. He faced a crowded field and because no one received more than 50% of the vote it went to a run off election. The two top dems. Carl Sanders and Jimmy Carter. Jimmy relied on his political outsider image along with his promises to address rural problems and keep ethical. He managed to win with 60% of the vote.
#9 - During Jimmy Carter's first year as Governor in 1971 he did the following things.
Reduced the number of state agencies from 300 to less than 30 to try and make the government more efficient and responsive.
Appointed more African Americans to state boards and commissions.
Increased funding for education, including higher salaries for teachers.
Supported legislation to regulate Georgia's water usage and protect coastal areas.
Implemented financial disclosure requirements for elected officials.
#10 - During his time as Governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter established the Georgia Heritage Trust. The trust aimed to preserve the state's natural and cultural heritage, including historic sites. A few places effected by this trust are:
New Manchester Manufacturing Company Mill, Lithia Springs
Sautee Nacoochee Center, Sautee Nacoochee
Taylor-Grady House, Athens
Old Governor's Mansion, Milledgeville
Eagle Tavern, Watkinsville
#11 - Jimmy Carter did various things to help those with mental health issues and build the state of Georgia's healthcare infrastructure up. One of the most important was establishing the Georgia Regional Hospital in Atlanta, which became a flagship facility for mental health care.
His commitment to mental health continued during his presidency, where he advocated for national mental health policies and contributed to the passage of the Mental Health Systems Act of 1980.
#12 - Jimmy Carter was the 76th Governor of Georgia from 1971-1975. In 1976 he ran for and won the US presidency. 1976 was also the year The United States celebrated its 200th anniversary of independence.
#13 - One of the largest problems Jimmy Carter faced during his time as Governor was the economic state Georgia was in. It was dealing with a severe economic recession and unemployment rates were high. Jimmy implemented fiscal reforms including budget cuts and increased taxes. This along with him reaching out to industries and advocating for the training and education of the work force allowed him to turn Georgia's economy around by the time he left office in 1975. This experience would be crucial for his time as President.
#14 - After his Governorship Jimmy Carter set his eyes on the United States presidency. Everything boiled down to him against Gerald Ford. Jimmy Carter posed himself as an outside to the standard politician and pointed to his time as Governor of Georgia as proof he could revitalize the economy and get Americans working again. After a few key debates Jimmy Carter barley won the election with 50.1% of the popular vote and 297 of the 537 electoral votes.
#15 - In 1973 the Arab oil embargo started a National energy crisis in the United States. Oil exports to the US were significantly reduced. This led to fuel shortages, long lines at gas stations, and increased prices for oil and gasoline.
Jimmy Carter was inaugurated on Jan 20 1977. Only two weeks later on Feb 2 he gave his first State of the Union address. He acknowledged the economic challenges America faced and proposed measures to address inflation and unemployment. He also spoke on the energy Crisis and highlighted the need for energy conservation and independence from foreign oil.
April 18, 1977 Jimmy gives a critical speech known as "Crisis of Confidence" speech. In this speech Jimmy Carter rallied the American populace to confront the energy crisis and stressed the importance of a collective head on approach.
July 15, 1977 Jimmy unveils a comprehensive energy policy which includes several proposals aimed at reducing the United States' dependence on foreign oil and promoting energy conservation. The plan calls for the development of alternative energy sources, increased domestic oil production, and improving energy efficiency.
November 9, 1978 Jimmy signed the National Energy Act into law. This act established the Department of Energy, regulated the fuel efficiency of vehicles, offered tax incentives and funding for research in the renewable energy sector, expanded the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and created the Synthetic Fuels Corporation to oversee the development of synthetic fuels.
These were only a few of the more notable things Jimmy Carter did to pull America out of the Energy Crisis of the late 70's. Education of the work force and his leadership during this time also played a huge role.
#16 - In 1974 senators Hubert Humphrey and Augustus Hawkins introduced comprehensive employment legislation, but it did not pass. In 1975 the bill under went various amendments to address problems folks had with it. In 1976 Jimmy Carter was elected as President and in 1977 he started advocating for this bill and spoke on the importance of passing it. The aim of the "Humphrey-Hawkins Act," was:
Establish the goal of "Full Employment" defined as 4% or less unemployment.
Establish a goal of 3% annual inflation or lower.
Create the Congressional Joint Economic Committee
Requirements for the President to submit an annual Economic Report to congress in regards to the goals of the act.
Mandated the Federal Reserve to report to congress on monetary policy and its alignment with the goals of the act.
The Full Employment and Balanced Growth Act of 1978 was signed into law by Jimmy Carter on October 27, 1978. It didn't meet all of it's goals and fell short in many ways. But it was a crucial step forward and still influences policy today.
#17 - Jimmy Carter made history in 1977 by appointing Patricia Harris as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. She was the first African American woman to hold a cabinet-level position in the US. His support for women didn't stop at simple appointments.
Pregnancy Discrimination Act which was an amendment to the civil rights act of 1964.
Department of Education. While not directly focused on helping women it did give them education opportunities.
Fund the Women's Educational Equity Act which was later passed during the Nixon administration.
#18 - "My decision to become a Christian was the most important decision I ever made." - Jimmy Carter. Faith was important to Jimmy, in the late 60's just before he became the Governor of Georgia he became a born again Christian. He often spoke on the importance of his faith and how it instructed his views and decisions, but didn't impose his beliefs on others.
"The simple fact is that when I was governor and when I was president, I had my own deep religious beliefs, but I don’t believe that my role as a governor or as a president should be to impose my religious beliefs on others." - Jimmy Carter
#19 - The Iran Hostage Crisis was a major blow to the Carter Administration. While some hailed Jimmy for his diplomacy and patience others scrutinized his failed rescue attempt and inability to quickly get the hostages freed as a sign of weakness. Occurring in the later half of his presidency Regan used this crisis during his campaign to bring into question Jimmy's foreign policy and leadership.
#20 - After his presidency Jimmy Carter wanted to continue contributing to humanitarian causes around the world. Along with his wife, Rosalynn Carter, he established The Carter Center on June 25, 1982 in Atlanta, Georgia. It's goals were to advance human rights, alleviate suffering, and promote democracy. Some of it's first programs focused on conflict resolution, election monitoring, and disease eradication.
#21 - The Carter Center's spent a lot of it's early efforts promoting peace and conflict resolution in Latin American and African. Nicaragua, Haiti, Sudan, Liberia, Uganda, and also North Korea. While not all conflicts were resolved. The Carter Center has played a major role in reducing violence and at times mediating elections to ensure a peaceful transfer of power.
#22 - Guinea Worm Disease can take several weeks or up to a year for symptoms to show. A critical stage of this disease is when blisters form and then burst open so an elongated worm can wiggle out and infect more water sources continuing it's life cycle. The Carter's Center Guinea Worm Program started in 1986 and has had a significant impact in helping reduce and in some cases eliminate this disease in various parts of Africa. Their primary method is educating villages about the importance of water filtration and drinking clear water as the GWD primarily comes from drinking water contaminated with copepods that are infected with Guinea worm larvae.
#23 - In 1975 just before he ran for President, Jimmy Cater, released "Why Not The Best?" It was an autobiography of his early life, time in the navy and entry into politics. The release of this book was convenient as it could be used to introduce him to a national audience and provide him with a clear political identity.
#24 - After "Why Not The Best" Jimmy Carter went on to publish over 30 more books on various topics such as:
Additional areas of his life
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Moral values in American society
Promoting Peace
Fighting Diseases world wide
#25 - A couple of Jimmy Carter's most popular books are, "An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood." About his childhood in Georgia or a book about his career and his years post-presidency called, "A Full Life:Reflections at Ninety."
#26 - On November 17, 2023, Rosalynn Carter entered hospice care. She died two days later. Her and Jimmy had been married for over 70 years.
#26 - Jimmy and Rosalynn were married on July 7, 1946. Their marriage lasted 77 years, 4 months, and 12 days. The longest in US Presidential History and one of the longest in the world.
#27 - Jimmy Carter's post-presidency efforts culminated in him receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts in finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts. The advancement of democracy/human rights and promoting economic and social development in under developed areas of the world.
#28 - Before being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize Jimmy Carter received the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Gerald Ford in 1981.
#29 - Jimmy Carter won a Grammy in 2007 for Best Spoken Word Album for his audiobook, "Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis"
#30 - Jimmy Carter entered Hospice care on Feb 18, 2023. One year later he is still alive and enjoying life.
#31 - Jimmy Carter's interest in environmental conservation led him to having solar panels installed on the roof of the White House in 1979. This was the first time solar power was used in the presidential residence. During the years of President Ronald Regan they were removed in 1986 as part of a renovation of the white house and in 2010 President Barack Obama had them reinstated.
#32 - In 1987 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter published, "Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life." In it they talked about their post-presidential era, finding joy and meaning in the later stages of life and the importance of faith, family and service.
#33 - In 2015 Jimmy Carter was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma which had spread to his liver and brain. He underwent surgery to remove the cancerous tumors and received radiation therapy.
#34 - Jimmy Carter is a well known lover of animals. During his time in the white house he was accompanied by an Afghan Dog named Lewis Brown. Lewis gained a bit of fame for himself during the Carter Administration.
#35 - In addition to Lewis Brown, Jimmy Carter, had a siamese cat named Misty Malarky Ying Yang and border collie named Grits during his time in the white house.
#36 - Jimmy Carter also had pets outside of his time in the White House. Two of the more well known ones were Rebecca a raccoon and a dog named Boomer.