JIMMY CARTER
James Earl Carter Jr. was born October 1, 1924, at
Wise
Hospital
(now Plains convalescent Home) in Plains Georgia. He was the first president
born in a hospital. His father was James Earl Carter, Sr. (1894-1953) farmer,
peanut broker, local public official; his mother was Bessie Lillian Gordy Carter
(1898-1983), registered nurse, Peace Corps volunteer. Jimmy was the oldest of
four children. He had two sisters and a brother-Mrs. Gloria Spann, Mrs. Ruth
Carter Stapleton and Billy Carter.
Jimmy married Eleanor Rosalynn Smith when he was 21 and she
was 18 years of age on July 7, 1946, at the Plains (
Georgia
)
Methodist
Church
. Carter had tree sons and a daughter-John William “Jack” Carter (1947- ),
lawyer; James Earl “chip” Carter III (1950- ), businessman; Donnell Jeffrey
Carter (1952- ), computer consultant; Amy Lynn Carter (1968- ).
Jimmy Carter attended public elementary and high school in
Plains,
Georgia
. In 1941 he attended
Georgia
Southwestern
College
in
Americus
,
Georgia
. He took some math courses at Georgia Institute of Technology in 1942. He was
admitted to The Naval Academy at
Annapolis
in 1943 and he saw see duty in 1944 aboard the USS New York on East
coast-Caribbean Patrol. He graduated in 1946.
Carter served in the Navy from 1946 to 1953 rising from
ensign to lieutenant senior grade. He returned to Plains Georgia to take care of
the peanut brokerage business his father had left. He started his public career
in 1963-Georgia State Senator (1963-1967) and Governor of Georgia (1971-1975)
before his presidential nomination.
Jimmy Carter won the presidential Democratic Nomination in
1976 and was elected president of the
United States
in November 2, 1976. His vice president was Walter F. Mondale (1928- ), he
served 1977-1981. Jimmy Carter lost reelection defeated by Ronald Reagan in
1980.
After the presidency, Jimmy Carter retired to Plains,
Georgia
. He became involved in many different activities. He is a member of Habitat for
Humanity and manually helps build Homes across the
United States
Inaugural Speech
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