Jimmy Carter, the thirty ninth president of the United States, was born James Earl Carter Jr. on October 1, 1924 in the rural Georgia farming community of Plains, the son of businessman James Earl Carter Sr. and his wife Lillian.
Carter grew up in the town of Archery, Georgia, graduated from the public school of Plains and went on to attend college at the George Institution of Technology and the United States Naval Academy.
Carter served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, married Rosalynn Smith in 1946 and took over his father’s farm in Plains, Georgia upon the elder Carter’s death in 1952. During the fifties he became a leader of his local community and in 1962 he was elected to the Georgia State Senate. Carter went on to be elected governor of the state of Georgia and was elected President of the United States in 1976.
Three of the most notable things that occurred during President Carter’s term of office (1976-1981) were the Camp David Accords, a peace treaty President Carter arraigned between Israel and Egypt; The SALT II (Strategic Arms Limitations) treaty the United States reached with the Soviet Union in 1979 and the Iranian Hostage Crisis of 1979 that saw 60 Americans being held hostage by Iranian forces for 444 days. Ironically, the American hostages were released just minutes after President Ronald Reagan was sworn in as the 40th President of the United States in January 1981.
After President Carter left office in 1981 he and his wife Rosalynn established the humanitarian Carter Center a non-profit organization whose goal is to resolve conflicts in the world and promote human rights and democracy. As the leader of the Carter Center President Carter has assisted in mediating conflicts in countries across the globe. President and Mrs. Carter also support and volunteer their time to the non-profit organization “Habitat For Humanity” which builds quality homes for lower income individuals who could not otherwise purchase a new home.
Former President Jimmy Carter celebrates his 89th birthday today!
Here’s a link to a Carter Center biography of President Carter:
http://www.cartercenter.org/news/experts/jimmy_carter.html
A link to an official White House biography of President Carter:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/jimmycarter
And a link to a PBS American Experience page that offers more information on the Iranian Hostage Crisis:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/carter-hostage-crisis/
Have a great day!
Linda R.
References
39. Jimmy Carter 1977-1981. White House. Online. Accessed October 1, 2013, http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/jimmycarter
Chase’s Calendar of Events 2013. New York. McGraw-Hill. 2013.
The Iranian Hostage Crisis. PBS: American Experience. Online. Accessed October 1, 2013,
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/carter-hostage-crisis/
Jimmy Carter – 39th President of the United States and Founder of The Carter Center. The Carter Center. Online. Accessed October 1, 2013, http://www.cartercenter.org/news/experts/jimmy_carter.html
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