Former President Jimmy Carter became the first President in U.S history to celebrate their 100th Birthday on Tuesday.
At first, Carter was an unlikely candidate for President. Then, only as a former governor of Georgia, Carter launched a campaign that resonated with the American people who were reeling after the Watergate scandal.
Carter was elected as the 39th President of the United States in the 1976 Election serving one term from 1977 to 1981.
As White House.gov describes it, “Carter aspired to make Government “competent and compassionate.” However, Carter’s term as President would be marred by an energy crisis, economic concerns, and a more volatile world.
Despite this, Carter managed several accomplishments as President, including the creation of both the Department of Education and Energy and the diplomatic accomplishment of the Camp David Accords, which had a major impact on reducing conflict in the Middle East.
These issues would ultimately lead to Carter losing the 1980 Presidential Election. This electoral loss would not stop Carter’s goal to serve the people; however, after the election, former president Carter and his wife Rosalynn Carter went on to found the Carter Center.
The Carter Center is dedicated to improving the human condition overall, stating on its website that it “seeks to prevent and resolve conflicts, enhance freedom and democracy, and improve health.”
The Carter Center currently engages in health and peace programs. As stated,“the Center fights six preventable diseases — Guinea worm, river blindness, trachoma, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, and malaria in Hispaniola.”
The organization also engages in peace programs, aiming to increase human rights, prevent conflicts, and promote world peace.
Carter’s legacy as a President and philanthropist is undeniable, and tributes continue to pour in as the Former President celebrates his 100th Birthday.
In a transcript posted by CBS News, President Joe Biden offered his well wishes for former President Carter.
“Mr. President, you’ve always been a moral force for our nation and the world. I recognized that as a young senator. That’s why I supported you so early. You’re a voice of courage, conviction, compassion, and most of all, a beloved friend of Jill and me and our family.”
President Biden continued to acknowledge Carter’s immense accomplishments as a President and a philanthropist, ending his message by stating,
“Put simply, Mr. President, I admire you so darn much.”
There is also a planned tribute, “Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song,” which aired on Monday and featured “genre-spanning artists, including Eric Church, India Arie, Chuck Leavell, The B-52s, and more.”
The accomplishments and legacy of President Carter are likely to inspire generations to come, and the efforts from the Carter Center improve countless lives.