Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter was born on October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia, USA as James Earl Carter Jr.

Former President of the United States. Children: John William Carter, James Carter, Donnel Jeffrey Carter, Amy Carter (Amy Lynn Carter). Attended Georgia Southwestern College 1941-1942, GA Inst. Tech., 1942-1943, U.S. Naval Academy 1946.

Graduated from the Naval Academy in 1946 and then served in the Navy for 7 years.

Carter had actually planned to make his career in the Navy, and maybe retire to the family peanut farm when he decided to quit; however, his father's death in 1953 at the age of 28 forced Carter to return so he could rescue the family business.

Portrayed by Dan Aykroyd on Saturday Night Live (1975).

Was a close friend of Gerald Ford despite their quite different political ideologies and the fact that he defeated Ford in the 1976 presidential election.

From the time of his own inauguration on January 20, 1977, until the inauguration of Bill Clinton on January 20, 1993, Carter was the only living Democratic president. (Harry S. Truman and Lyndon B. Johnson died in 1972 and 1973, respectively).

Helped mediate the historic Camp David accords in 1978.

Led a major boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.

He holds the record for the longest retirement from the U. S. presidency, which began on January 20, 1981. The record had been previously held by John Adams, from March 4, 1801 until July 4, 1826, and Herbert Hoover, from March 4, 1933 until October 20, 1964.

After leaving the White House he returned to Georgia, where in 1982 he founded the nonprofit Carter Center in Atlanta to promote peace and human rights worldwide. The Center has initiated projects in more than 65 countries to resolve conflicts, prevent human rights abuses, build democracy, improve health, and revitalize urban areas. He and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, still reside in Plains.

He was the commencement speaker at the 1998 Commencement Ceremony at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He and his wife Rosalynn Carter were both awarded honorary doctorates from the university.

Was known as a very devout Southern Baptist (and brought the term "born-again Christian" into the national vocabulary), but left the denomination in 2000 because of its increasing conservatism. Founded the New Baptist Covenant movement with Bill Clinton for more progressive Baptists.

Performed at the "One Less Tear" cancer benefit with wife Rosalynn Carter in Philipsburg, PA, on July 24, 2002.

Biography/bibliography in: "Contemporary Authors." New Revision Series, Volume 155, pages 50-58. Farmington Hills, Michigan, 2007.

Nominated for a 2008 Grammy Award for "Sunday Mornings In Plains: Bringing Peace To A Changing World" [Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Story Telling)].

To date (2009), only US President to have a National Historic Site named in his honor (300 N Bond Street, Plains, GA 31780-5562), the site of Carter's boyhood residential neighborhood.

As of September 2012, he has lived the longest since leaving office of any President in American history, surpassing the previous 31-year record of Herbert Hoover.

On Tuesday January 30, 2018 aged 93 years, 121 days Carter outlived his successor Ronald Reagan who died on June 5, 2004 aged 93 years, 120 days.

On Friday March 22, 2019 aged 94 years, 172 days he became the oldest ever and longest living President in U.S. History surpassing George Bush who lived to 94 years, 171 days.