Jimmy Carter Hits 100, and the Celebration Was Just the Tip of the Iceberg!

Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, reaches a significant milestone on October 1st—his 100th birthday. This makes him the first president in U.S. history to live a century. Celebrations for this remarkable occasion are centered in Plains, Georgia, his hometown, where Carter will spend the day surrounded by family.

Festivities honoring Carter have been ongoing since September. One notable event was the “Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song” concert held on September 17th at Atlanta’s Fox Theater. The night was filled with performances from artists like the B-52’s, Eric Church, and D-Nice, while tributes poured in from celebrities and politicians, including every living president except Donald Trump. Viewers can tune into Georgia Public Broadcasting on Tuesday at 7 p.m. to watch the concert.

As part of the centennial celebration, the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta is offering admission for just 100 cents. Visitors can view a special exhibit featuring 100 portraits of Carter and leave their mark by signing his birthday book. Meanwhile, Plains will host its own community events to commemorate this historic day.

Carter’s life has been marked by decades of service. After leaving the Oval Office in 1981, he didn’t stop working. In 1982, he and his wife, Rosalynn, founded the Carter Center with the aim of advancing human rights and promoting peace across the globe. As Carter Center CEO Paige Alexander noted, “They wanted to use their voice to continue bringing people together on human rights issues and conflict resolution.” The center’s impact has been significant, particularly in global health, where it has worked to eradicate diseases like Guinea worm in Africa and led initiatives for peace in various regions.

In recent years, the Carter Center has shifted some of its focus to address domestic issues in the U.S., such as election security and democratic integrity. “Our country had a lot of democratic backsliding, ripe for political violence that we’ve seen in 40 countries,” Alexander said. This adaptation is reflective of the Carter Center’s ability to pivot to where it’s needed most.

Carter’s philanthropic endeavors extend far beyond the Carter Center. He spent nearly 40 years volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, lending his hands to build homes for families in need. Even in his later years, Carter remained dedicated. In 2019, at the age of 95, he worked on a project in Nashville, constructing homes despite sporting a black eye from a fall that had required 14 stitches.

One of Carter’s most enduring legacies as president was brokering the Camp David Accords in 1978, a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt that remains a significant diplomatic achievement. His commitment to peaceful conflict resolution defined his time in office and carried into his post-presidency life.

Before his political career took off, Carter grew up on a family farm in Plains, where he learned the value of hard work while cultivating peanuts and other crops. After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946, he served in the Navy before shifting to politics in 1962, when he was elected to the Georgia state senate. His rise was swift, and by 1971, he became Georgia’s 76th governor. In 1976, Carter was elected the 39th President of the United States, defeating incumbent Gerald Ford.

Carter’s post-presidency has been just as remarkable. Aside from his charitable work, he has written more than 30 books and taught at Emory University, passing on his wealth of knowledge to future generations.

In his later years, Carter has faced several health challenges, including metastatic melanoma, which spread to his brain. In 2023, he entered hospice care, choosing to stop treatment and focus on spending time with family.

As Carter turns 100, the Carter Center continues to expand on his legacy, focusing on global issues like mental health. “We’re looking at expanding those mental health programs and trying to take these lessons we’ve learned in Latin America and growing them to the continent of Africa,” Alexander shared.

Jimmy Carter’s century of life is a testament to his dedication to service, peace, and humanity. His influence endures not only through the lives he’s touched but through the ongoing work of the Carter Center, ensuring his legacy will continue to shape the world long after he’s gone.