Lt. James Earl Carter Jr., U.S. Navy left the service after seven years in 1953 to take over the running of his family's peanut farm before running for a state senate seat in 1962. On the last day of his state senate office he announced his congressional campaign later becoming the Governor of Georgia in 1971. He angered his supporters by declaring that "the time of racial discrimination is over" in his inaugural speech making civil right a core tenant of his office.
In 1976 Carter's successful presidential campaign defeated Gerald Ford and was run on supporting a consumer protection agency, a cabinet department for education and signing peace with the Soviet Union to name but a few.
Carter was sworn in as the 39th President of the United States in 1977. He inherited a troubled economy and an oil crisis which increased inflation. He faced considerable domestic issues in trying to get the American people to accept austerity.
He was successful in getting Egypt to recognise Israel with the Camp David Accords and he returned control of the Panama Canal to Panama. Unfortunately he mishandled the Iranian Hostage Crisis which was reflected in the downfall of his presidency and landslide defeat by Ronald Regan in 1980.
Following his White House tenure Carter remained active as a diplomat and statesman over much of the past 40+ years and was awarded the Nobel Peace prize for his promotion of human rights. Well into his early 90's he was also a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity who help low-income workers to build and buy their own homes and access clean water.
Carter also created The Carter Centre, a non-profit NGO and used his influence to improve the quality of life for people in more than 80 countries including assisting the WHO to nearly eradicate Guinea worm disease.
He died peacefully at this home at his home today aged 100. May "Deacon" (his secret service codename) rest in peace.
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