Jimmy Carter Celebrates Milestone 100th Birthday in Plains \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Jimmy Carter celebrated his 100th birthday in Plains, Georgia, with family and friends, marking a historic milestone. Despite ongoing health challenges, the former president remains actively engaged in political and humanitarian causes. A series of events, from concerts to Habitat for Humanity projects, honored his lifelong dedication to public service.
Jimmy Carter’s 100th Birthday Quick Looks
- Jimmy Carter became the first U.S. president to reach 100 years.
- Friends, family, and residents gathered in Plains, Georgia, to celebrate.
- President Carter remains in hospice care but is actively engaged.
- The Carter family reflected on his impactful legacy during his birthday.
- Carter spent his special day surrounded by 25 family members at his home.
- World War II-era planes flew over to mark the occasion.
- President Biden praised Carter’s dedication to humanity in a tribute video.
- Habitat for Humanity honored Carter by building 30 houses in Minnesota.
Deep Look
Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, celebrated his 100th birthday in his beloved hometown of Plains, Georgia, marking a significant milestone as the first American president to live a full century. On this momentous Tuesday, his friends, family, and long-time admirers gathered to honor the life of a man who rose from humble beginnings during the Great Depression to reach the pinnacle of global influence as a Nobel Peace Prize-winning humanitarian.
Living in home hospice care for the last 19 months, Carter continues to defy expectations, showing the same resilience that has characterized his entire life journey. He ascended from managing his family’s peanut farming and warehouse business to leading on the world stage. Serving as the 39th president from 1977 to 1981, Carter went on to dedicate four decades to humanitarian causes with The Carter Center, an organization he co-founded in 1982 with his wife Rosalynn. Their mission was simple but profound: “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope.”
Reflecting on Carter’s life, his grandson Jason Carter shared the significance of reaching such an age. “Not everybody gets 100 years on this earth,” he said, emphasizing how Carter used his life to benefit countless others. These past 19 months, since Carter entered hospice care, have offered the family, as well as admirers across the globe, the opportunity to celebrate his legacy and contribution to the world. Jason found this period to be especially meaningful as they looked back on Carter’s remarkable achievements.
James Earl Carter Jr. was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, where he still resides in the one-story home he and Rosalynn built together in the early 1960s, before his first entry into politics. Rosalynn, also a native of Plains and his steadfast partner throughout his life, passed away last November at age 96. This year, about 25 family members gathered to celebrate Carter’s birthday at the same home, enjoying cupcakes on the front lawn, while antique World War II planes flew overhead as a tribute. The evening concluded with plans to watch the vice-presidential debate as a family.
One of the touching moments of the day came from Carter’s son, Chip, who shared insights into his father’s resilience. When asked if he was pushing to make it to 100, Carter answered, “No, I’m trying to live to vote for Kamala Harris,” highlighting his enduring passion for politics. Chip Carter also attended a naturalization ceremony, held annually on his father’s birthday at Plains High School, which Jimmy Carter had attended and which now operates as a museum. The event welcomed 100 new U.S. citizens, a fitting tribute to Carter’s lifelong dedication to democracy.
Jill Stuckey, superintendent of the Jimmy Carter National Historic Park, shared a story from Carter’s school days, recalling how a teacher once predicted that one of the students in her class would become president. Carter, known for his unwavering belief in himself and others, seemed to take that to heart. Stuckey noted, “One thing I’ve learned is to never underestimate Jimmy Carter. If you do, he will prove you wrong.”
President Joe Biden, the first U.S. senator to endorse Carter’s 1976 presidential campaign, also paid tribute to his long-time friend in a heartfelt video. Recorded in front of Carter’s portrait from the White House, Biden praised Carter’s moral integrity and humanitarian spirit. “You’ve always been a moral force for our nation and the world,” Biden said, adding that Carter has been a beloved friend to both him and his wife, Jill. It was also revealed that Carter has asked Biden to eulogize him at his future state funeral.
To commemorate Carter’s contributions to Georgia and beyond, Governor Brian Kemp declared Tuesday as “Jimmy Carter Day.” Among other birthday festivities was a musical gala in Atlanta, aired on Georgia Public Broadcasting, which raised over $1.2 million for The Carter Center. Meanwhile, residents of Plains planned a concert in the evening to celebrate Carter’s legacy.
In a fitting tribute to one of his major passions, Habitat for Humanity, a cause close to Carter’s heart, organized the construction of 30 houses in St. Paul, Minnesota, in his honor. Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter served as ambassadors for Habitat for Humanity for decades, even taking part in annual building projects well into their 90s. Barbara and William Le Green of Americus traveled to Plains to celebrate the former president, recalling their personal connection when Carter helped build their own Habitat home and gave them hammers to keep. “He didn’t mind getting his hands dirty,” William remembered fondly.
Carter, who last appeared publicly nearly a year ago at his wife Rosalynn’s funeral services, was visibly frail but determined as he attended both ceremonies in a reclining wheelchair. Jason Carter remarked on how unexpected this 100th birthday celebration was for the family, especially following Rosalynn’s passing. He shared how Carter’s hospice bed had been positioned to face his wife’s so they could spend her final moments together.
Despite his health challenges, Carter has remained remarkably engaged in current events. Jason noted, “He’s really given himself over to what he feels is God’s plan. He knows he’s not in charge. But these past few months have seen him more engaged with world events, politics, and emotionally connected to all of us.”
As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, Carter is eager to vote again. His motivation comes from the historic significance of potentially supporting Kamala Harris, who could become the first woman, the second Black person, and the first person of South Asian descent to occupy the Oval Office. Reflecting on his grandfather’s perspective on democratic values, Jason added, “He, like a lot of us, was incredibly gratified by his friend Joe Biden’s courageous choice to pass the torch.”
Carter’s commitment to democratic ideals also resonates deeply with his and The Carter Center’s legacy of observing elections around the world. “He knows how rare it is for someone who is a sitting president to give up power willingly,” Jason Carter emphasized. With early voting beginning on October 15 in Georgia, Carter’s enthusiasm to participate again demonstrates his unwavering belief in democracy—marking yet another chapter in his extraordinary life, as he enters his 101st year.
Jimmy Carter Celebrates
