Jimmy Carter at 100: A Legacy of Service
Jason Carter, the President’s grandson and family spokesman - when it comes to the President’s health - said, “He is hopeful. And though his body may be weak tonight, his spirit is as strong as ever. My grandfather can’t wait to vote for Kamala Harris” (Image courtesy of The Carter Center).
Carter becomes the first living American president to turn 100 years old.
Article by Ryan Hartnett, Senior White House Producer
PLAINS, Ga. - Former President Jimmy Carter is celebrating a milestone no other American president has reached in their lifetime, their 100th birthday.
Carter, a Democrat who served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977-1981, is celebrating his 100th birthday while still in hospice care where he has been for the past 19 months.
However, those close to the former President said that Carter hopes to hang on until October 15th, the day that early voting begins in his home state of Georgia, so he can cast his ballot in the 2024 Presidential Election.
“I’m only trying to make it to vote for Kamala Harris,” Carter said to his grandson Jason Carter in an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Carter, a former peanut farmer and Navy veteran, has defied expectations living 6 years longer than fellow age defying U.S. president, George H.W. Bush, a Republican who passed away when he was 94 years old in November 2018.
10 days ago, a star studded concert celebration was held for Carter in his home state of Georgia celebrating his life and legacy prior to the former President reaching his 100th birthday.
The concert featured performances of Love Shack by the B-52’s and covers of songs by the Allman Brothers who played a pivotal role in Carter’s election as President. Their involvement helped raise money for his campaign back in 1976 and earned Carter the unofficial nickname of “the rock ‘n’ roll president.”
While Carter unfortunately could not be in attendance to celebrate, he will be watching the concert special as part of a private family celebration when it airs tonight on Georgia Public Television.
During his one term as President from 1977 to 1981, Carter achieved a lot during his four years as Commander in Chief. He presided over the Camp David accords to end years of conflict between Egypt and Israel, put human rights at the forefront of the United States foreign policy, and took a hard stance against the Soviet Union.
His legacy in office was impressive despite serving one term but Carter’s achievements after serving as President are arguably more impressive than his time in Washington.
In a video message aired by CBS News, President Biden called Carter a “moral force for our nation and the world,” who is “a voice of courage, conviction, compassion, and most of all, a beloved friend”.
Following losing his bid for reelection to Ronald Reagan, Carter helped turn Habitat for Humanity into a world wide recognized organization working alongside volunteers, staff and future homeowners.
Two years after leaving the White House, Carter and his wife Rosalynn, founded the Carter Center to promote and further expand human rights around the globe. This global mission of protecting human rights earned them the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize.
In celebration of his 100th birthday, thousands of Habitat for Humanity volunteers are constructing 30 new homes in St. Paul, Minnesota to celebrate Carter’s dedication to the organization.
When asked about his grandfather’s legacy back in August 2024, Jason said that his grandfather has “a legacy of doing the right thing, of honesty, integrity, of searching out and believing you can build human connections, again, across the world in some of the smallest villages in Mali or wherever in Africa.”