The longest-living president, James “Jimmy” Carter Jr., lived a life dedicated to social progress and public service. At one hundred years old on December 29th, 2024, Carter passed away with the inspiring legacy of a peacemaker. The foundation of his presidential campaign rested on a commitment to steady the unsteady waves of turmoil in the United States, caused by the shocking reveal of the Watergate scandal and the great controversy over the US involvement in the Vietnam war.
Throughout Carter’s life, he remained dedicated to causes that benefited humankind. He was best known as a public servant during and after his time in office as President and governor of Georgia. Carter’s seemingly unlikely journey from being a Georgian peanut farmer to the most powerful man in America created a new vision for the future of the US. By believing in rebuilding a broken foundation of trust left by former President Nixon after the Watergate scandal, Carter led a presidential campaign that appealed to many. However, he possessed little experience in foreign policy, which was a major concern to the American people.
Being an outsider, Jimmy Carter’s high morale was thought not to be enough to lead a country. Throughout his presidency, he proved critics wrong by reversing a multiple decade-long, foreign policy focused on the Cold War. Carter’s administration avoided Cold War related conflict by placing a focus on humankind and peace amongst the world. This plan appealed to many in America since the Vietnam War was deemed an unnecessary fight. Rather than starting conflict, Carter was dedicated to world peace. Through the Camp David Accords, Carter was able to resolve conflict between Israel and Egypt, ultimately improving Middle Eastern relations all around.
In Jimmy Carter’s ”malaise” speech, he declared his plan for the new future of the country. Carter, three years into his presidency, acknowledged multiple words of Americans who had started to lose faith in the government. After sharing their words, Carter spoke on the importance of having faith in America, and that the problem was a “Crisis of Confidence”. By calling people to have faith and pride, he brought a new, positive idea of patriotism.
In addition to his many efforts in gaining trust back from the American people after Nixon’s Watergate scandal, he stood with those against the violence of the Vietnam War. To stand by them, he pardoned all men who evaded their draft orders to serve in the Vietnam War, which gave him a reputation that was the opposite of Nixon’s.
The peaceful reputation that Jimmy Carter created for himself impacted an unstable start to a new era of presidential administrations. Even after his presidential term had come to an end, he continued to be the public servant and peacemaker he was as president. In 2002, Carter won a Nobel Peace Prize for his work which he dedicated to human rights and the revival of democracy in America. After presidency, he worked with Habitat for Humanity to build homes for people in need. He also founded the Carter Center in 1982 with Rosalynn Carter, his wife. Together, their organization continues to improve life for people in more than 80 countries by resolving conflicts, advancing democracy and human rights, preventing diseases, and improving mental health care.
The peace that Carter brought to the Oval Office continues to inspire political figures all around the world. All current living presidents–Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump–attended Carter’s funeral, honoring his legacy. As Carter continues to be honored after his death as the longest living president at one hundred years old, friends, family, and colleagues spread positivity about the greatness he did for the United States during, and after his time as president.
