Like many, I had no idea who James Earl Carter was when he declared his candidacy for President of the United States in 1974. He had served as governor of Georgia, a deeply conservative state, from 1971 to 1975. At that time, southern Democrats, known as Dixiecrats, were beginning to gravitate to the Republican Party in the wake of 1960s civil rights legislation. Jimmy Carter was a bit of an anomaly then, fiscally conservative and culturally progressive. Unlike most southern Democrats, Carter favored desegregation and equal opportunity. With some skepticism, I voted for him because he was a Democrat, and I grew to appreciate his policies. I was a fiscal conservative. I did not favor an expansion of the welfare state but free market policies and strong unions that would lead to higher wages.
President Carter entered the White House during a period of stagflation, a term coined to describe the combination of high inflation and stagnant economic growth that led to skyrocketing prices for essential goods like gasoline and groceries while wages failed to keep pace. Economists point to President Richard Nixon’s 1973 decision to abandon the gold standard, which devalued the dollar and triggered a rise in the price of imports, significantly contributing to the nation’s economic woes. Carter’s response was to encourage Americans to conserve energy and pass the Economic Stimulus Appropriations Act of 1977, which included increased public service employment and tax cuts.
Carter received criticism from both sides of the aisle. Democrats felt it was too small and did not go far enough in creating public service jobs. Republicans wanted more business-friendly incentives. His appointment of Paul Volker in 1979 would ultimately lead to a significant inflation decline, but it was too late to salvage his presidency. His ultimate downfall was Iran’s taking American hostages. His attempt to rescue the hostages failed. It was alleged that representatives of Republican candidate Ronald Reagan then made a deal with Iran to delay the release of the hostages until after the 1980 election. Carter’s chances were also weakened when Sen. Ted Kennedy challenged him in a 1980 primary.
Despite the many challenges that helped deny Carter a second term, his place in history is secured by notable accomplishments, highlighted by being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for “undertaking peace negotiations, campaigning for human rights, and working for social welfare,” according to The Nobel Prize. He could have won the award before then for brokering the 1978 peace agreement between Egypt and Israel. He created the Department of Energy in 1978 and the Department of Education in 1980, consolidating several federal agencies for greater efficiency.
He is regarded as one of the most productive former Presidents for his creation and work with Habitat for Humanity, which reported he had used his hands and tools to create 4,390 homes in 14 countries. In 1982, he and the former first lady Rosalyn Carter established the Carter Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to pursuing human rights. The Carter Center helped to develop and strengthen democracies across the globe, observing 114 elections in 39 countries, according to the organization’s website.
I visited the Carter Center in 1996 while pursuing my MSW at Clark Atlanta University. I was so impressed by the story it shared about the humble peanut farmer from Plains, Georgia, that I wrote a letter to the former President expressing my admiration for his work. I was particularly moved by letters he had written to Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Surprisingly, my letter was returned with a short handwritten note from Jimmy Carter. It is something I have treasured.
Although he lived a long and incredible life, I am still saddened to learn of his passing. He was an exceptional human being. He was humble and thoughtful and wielded enormous authentic influence. He was noted and often derided for carrying his luggage. I remember thinking, “Dude, get somebody to carry your bags.” He and Rosalynn Carter were married for 77 years until her death on November 19, 2023, at 96.
The world will stop and pay tribute to Jimmy Carter on January 9, 2025, when he will be given an official state funeral. The day has been declared a national day of mourning for the 39th President of the United States. President Biden, who will deliver the eulogy, ordered federal offices to be closed and the New York Stock Exchange will not open. President Jimmy Carter guided the nation through some tough times and left an example we all can follow if we truly seek to be a more perfect union.