• Born October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia
• 1941 attended college at Georgia Southwestern College
• 1942 attended the Naval Academy in Annapolis, graduating in 1946
• July 6, 1946 Married Rosalynn Smith, his high school sweetheart, also from Plains
• Reported to his first naval post at Norfolk, Virginia, August 8, 1946, beginning a 7 yr. 4 month career in the navy
• 1953 resigned from navy
• 1963 won the state Senate election in Georgia
• 1966 ran for the Democratic nomination for governor of Georgia and lost
• 1970 elected governor of Georgia
• 1975 announced cadancy for president
• 1977 elected 39th president of the United States
• 1977 the United States and Panama agreed on two trustees in regard to the Panama Canal
• 1979 the Camp David Accords
• 1979 militant Iranians take 66 Americans hostage at the U.S. embassy in Tehran, the capital of Iran
• 1980 stopped U.S. participation in the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow due to the USSR invading Afghanistan
• 1980 election for presidency lost to Ronald Reagan
• 1982 founded the Carter Center of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia
• 1994 went to Korea to help negotiate a dispute over the production of nuclear weapons
• 1999 President Bill Clinton awarded Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian honor

Quotes

"How do we define a life of greatness?...Is it the size of our bank account;...the cost of our automobile...? The definition of success is things that withstand the test of time."

"...we're trying to explore ways that we can participate in matters like building homes and alleviating the suffering of the poor, which is condemned by many...as secular humans..."

"Too many people...are so timid...that they restrict their own lives...Just don't fear defeat. Set goals that are very high; most of the time you will reach them; if not, you'll enjoy trying."

Journey through Heartsongs. Hyperion, 2002.

Christmas in Plains. Simon & Schuster, 2001.

An Hour before Daylight. Simon & Schuster, 2001.

Keeping Faith. University of Arkansas, 1995.

Back to Stewart Lectures

Since the mid-1980's Carter and his wife have helped build low-income housing for the poor as part of the nonprofit organization, Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical christian housing ministry dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and making decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat has built more than 100,000 houses worldwide. Volunteers work with future homeoweners to build or renovate houses, which are then sold to partner families at no profit, with no interest charged on the 15-20 year mortgage. The money from the sale of each house goes into a revolving Fund for Humanity, to support future building projects. More information on Habitat For Humanity can be found at

Habitat For Humanity International.

Stetson's Chapter of Habitat For Humanity.