Plains, Georgia, October 01, 2024 – The Europe Today: Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter turned 100 years old today, becoming the first American leader to reach the milestone. Celebrations were held in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, where he has resided in home hospice care for the past 19 months.
Carter’s grandson, Jason Carter, revealed in August that the former president humorously remarked he was “only trying to make it to vote for Kamala Harris,” the Democratic candidate for the upcoming U.S. federal election, with early voting in Georgia beginning on October 15.
Born on October 1, 1924, Carter was the first U.S. president born in a hospital. Raised during the Great Depression, Carter’s early life shaped his modest, empathetic approach to public service. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy, where he met and married Rosalynn Smith in 1946. Their marriage spanned 77 years until Rosalynn’s passing in November 2023.
Carter rose to national prominence when he secured the Democratic nomination and won the presidency in 1976. His tenure, though marked by moderate progressive reforms, faced challenges, including the Iran hostage crisis and economic struggles, leading to his defeat by Ronald Reagan in 1980.
After leaving office, Carter became renowned for his humanitarian work, often cited as defining the modern “post-presidency.” In recognition of his global peace efforts, Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
