Jimmy Carter
At a Glance
Term: 39th President of the United States (1977-1981)
Born: October 1, 1924, Plains, Georgia
Full Name: James Earl Carter, Jr.
Education: Georgia Southwestern College, 1941-1942; Georgia Institute of Technology, 1942-1943; United States Naval Academy, 1943-1946 (class of 1947); Union College, 1952-1953
Religion: Baptist
Marriage: Eleanor Rosalynn Smith (b. August 18, 1927), July 7, 1946
Children: John William (Jack) (1947-), James Earl III (Chip) (1950-), Donnel Jeffrey (Jeff) (1952-), Amy Lynn (1967-)
Career: Soldier; Farmer, Warehouseman, Public Official, Professor
Political Party: Democrat
Writings: Why Not the Best? (1975); A Government as Good as Its People (1977); The Wit and Wisdom of Jimmy Carter (1977); Keeping Faith (1982); Everything to Gain (1987); An Outdoor Journal (1988); Turning Point (1992); The Blood of Abraham (1993); Always a Reckoning (1995); Living Faith (1996); The Virtues of Aging (1998); An Hour Before Daylight (2001); The Hornet’s Nest (2003); Sharing Good Times (2004).
A Life in Brief: Jimmy Carter's one-term presidency is remembered for the events that overwhelmed it—inflation, energy crisis, war in Afghanistan, and hostages in Iran. After one term in office, voters strongly rejected Jimmy Carter's honest but gloomy outlook in favor of Ronald Reagan's telegenic optimism. More....
Address to the Nation on Energy (April 18, 1977)
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Presidential Speech ArchiveEssays on Jimmy Carter and His Administration
Consulting Editor: Robert A. Strong
Professor Strong is the William Lyne Wilson Professor of Politics at Washington and Lee University. He is also an associate editor of the White House Studies journal and has worked on the Presidential Oral History program at the Miller Center. His writings include:
Working in the World: Jimmy Carter and the Making of American Foreign Policy (Louisiana State University Press, 2000)
Decisions and Dilemmas: Case Studies in Presidential Foreign Policy Making (M.E. Sharpe, 2005)
Presidential Speeches
Below are selections from the Miller Center's Jimmy Carter speech collection. To view the Miller Center's other speeches by Jimmy Carter or by another President, please click the link below.
February 2, 1977 - Report to the American People on Energy
September 17, 1978 - Remarks on Joint Statement at Camp David Summit
Miller Center Scholarship and Speakers
The Miller Center of Public Affairs is a national nonpartisan center to research, reflect, and report on American government, with special attention to the central role and history of the presidency. Below is a selection of Miller Center resources on Jimmy Carter.
Listen to Carter’s 1980 Miller Center Oral history interview. Full Miller Center Carter Oral History Archive.
Listen to Ray Marshall’s 1988 presentation at the Miller Center on the Carter Presidency. Marshall served as Secretary of Labor under Carter.
As President, Jimmy Carter approved a secret military mission to attempt to free hostages in Iran. Click here to learn more about the Miller Center's National War Powers Commission.
Click here to learn more about the Center’s National Commission on Federal Election Reform and its relationship to Carter.
Scripps Library Reference Resources
Below are links to reference resources prepared by the Miller Center's Scripps Library that are designed to help students and scholars quickly conduct their research.
Information on Jimmy Carter's Private and Public Papers
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