Jimmy Carter, who is a very special former president of the United States, is celebrating his 100th birthday on Tuesday! He has lived longer than any other president in U.S. history. Jimmy served as president from January 1977 to January 1981, and after his time in office, he dedicated his life to helping people around the world. Because of his great work in promoting human rights and fighting against poverty, he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
This year’s birthday celebration is especially touching because it comes 19 months after he began receiving hospice care at his home in Plains, Georgia. To celebrate, there was a special concert with famous country, rock, and gospel music stars at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta last month. This concert raised over $1 million to help fund the important work of the Carter Center, which he started with his wife, Rosalynn Carter. According to his grandson Jason Carter, Jimmy plans to watch the concert on Georgia Public Broadcasting.
Jimmy and Rosalynn were married for an incredible 77 years, but sadly, Rosalynn passed away in November 2023. Jimmy was last seen in public at her funeral, where he used a wheelchair and seemed a bit weak. He has been facing health challenges, including cancer, and he chose to enter hospice care in February 2023 instead of continuing medical treatments.
On this special day, U.S. President Joe Biden shared a heartfelt message, saying that Jimmy Carter has always been a “moral force” for the nation and the world. He praised Jimmy for his hopeful vision and his belief in the goodness of people.
Since the 1980s, the Carters have also worked with Habitat for Humanity, a group that builds homes for people in need. To celebrate Jimmy’s birthday this week, many Habitat volunteers, including country music stars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, will help build 30 homes in St. Paul, Minnesota. Jonathan Reckford, the CEO of Habitat, said this project is a great way to honor the legacy of the Carters and to show what can happen when people come together to help others.
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