Cameron Bebeau

Originally Published at: https://www.fsuthevoice.com/jimmy-carter-turns-100/

On October 1, former President Jimmy Carter celebrated his 100th birthday while surrounded by family at his home in Plains, Georgia. Carter, the 39th President of the United States, made history by becoming the first ex-President to reach this milestone. 

While most known for his role as the POTUS, Carter has lived a life of public service, having also served as the state senator of Georgia’s 14th District for two terms, and later one term as the 76th governor of Georgia. Prior to this, he served in the United States Navy from 1946 to 1953, picking up the rank of lieutenant before being granted an honorable discharge following the death of his father. He earned several military recognitions and was going to be the engineering officer of the U.S.S. Seawolf (SSN-575) vessel prior to his discharge. To this day, Carter is the only U.S. President to be a qualified submariner. 

Following his discharge, he worked at the family peanut farm on which he grew up. He and his wife, Rosalynn, would work together and made it a successful business. This would further help his POTUS campaign, as the nation was plagued by the Watergate scandal at the time, and he became whom the public was looking for: someone who was not associated with Washington, D.C.  

One of the most common descriptions of President Carter is that his reputation out of the White House is far more favorable than his reputation during. His involvement with Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that seeks to build affordable housing, being an example of this. As of 2013, more than 800,000 homes have been built worldwide through Habitat for Humanity. 

Aside from this, he would spend his years working diplomacy for the United States with various nations, earning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his works. One of the most known cases of his diplomacy includes him freeing American teacher Aijalon Gomes from North Korean detainment after more than six months in captivity. 

Whether or not you agree with his policies, Jimmy Carter has been an impactful part of American society, truly showing that where you come from is not necessarily where you’re going. 

Photo courtesy of Library of Congress.