MILWAUKEE — The Carter Center announced the death of Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the U.S. Sunday.
Carter was born in 1924 and became the first president to reach 100 years of age.
He got his start in politics when he won a seat in the Georgia State Senate following a recount in 1962. Fourteen years later he would win a close race for the presidency with Walter F. Mondale as his running mate, beating out Vice President Gerald Ford.
Presidents and politicians released statements offering condolences and some praised him as an advocate for human rights. Here are their statements.
Statement from President Joe Biden:
Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian.
Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well.
With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe.
He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism. We will always cherish seeing him and Rosalynn together. The love shared between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter is the definition of partnership and their humble leadership is the definition of patriotism.
We will miss them both dearly, but take solace knowing they are reunited once again and will remain forever in our hearts.
To the entire Carter family, we send our gratitude for sharing them with America and the world. To their staff – from the earliest days to the final ones – we have no doubt that you will continue to do the good works that carry on their legacy.
And to all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility. He showed that we are great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.
To honor a great American, I will be ordering an official state funeral to be held in Washington D.C. for James Earl Carter, Jr., 39th President of the United States, 76th Governor of Georgia, Lieutenant of the United States Navy, graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and favorite son of Plains, Georgia, who gave his full life in service to God and country.
Statement from President-elect Donald Trump:
I just heard of the news about the passing of President Jimmy Carter. Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History.
The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.
Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers.
Statement by Vice-President Kamala Harris:
President Jimmy Carter was guided by a deep and abiding faith — in God, in America, and in humanity.
Jimmy Carter’s life is a testament to the power of service — as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, the 76th Governor of Georgia, and the 39th President of the United States. He reminded our nation and the world that there is strength in decency and compassion.
As President, he protected our air and water, promoted transparency in government, and brokered an historic peace treaty between Egypt and Israel at Camp David.
Throughout his life, President Carter was strengthened by the love and support of his partner of 77 years, First Lady Rosalynn Carter, whose life President Biden and I had the opportunity to celebrate in Georgia last year. After leaving office, President Carter continued his fight for peace, democracy, and human dignity through the Carter Center.
I had the privilege of knowing President Carter for years. I will always remember his kindness, wisdom, and profound grace. His life and legacy continue to inspire me — and will inspire generations to come. Our world is a better place because of President Carter.
Doug and I send our love and prayers to the Carter family.
Statement by Former President George W. Bush:
"Laura and I send our heartfelt condolences to Jack, Chip, Jeff, Amy, and the entire Carter family.
“James Earl Carter, Jr., was a man of deeply held convictions. He was loyal to his family, his community, and his country. President Carter dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn’t end with the presidency. His work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations.
"We join our fellow citizens in giving thanks for Jimmy Carter and in prayer for his family.”
Statement by Former President Barack Obama:
For decades, you could walk into Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia on some Sunday mornings and see hundreds of tourists from around the world crammed into the pews. And standing in front of them, asking with a wink if there were any visitors that morning, would be President Jimmy Carter – preparing to teach Sunday school, just like he had done for most of his adult life.
Some who came to hear him speak were undoubtedly there because of what President Carter accomplished in his four years in the White House – the Camp David Accords he brokered that reshaped the Middle East; the work he did to diversify the federal judiciary, including nominating a pioneering women’s rights activist and lawyer named Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the federal bench; the environmental reforms he put in place, becoming one of the first leaders in the world to recognize the problem of climate change.
Others were likely there because of what President Carter accomplished in the longest, and most impactful, post-presidency in American history – monitoring more than 100 elections around the world; helping virtually eliminate Guinea worm disease, an infection that had haunted Africa for centuries; becoming the only former president to earn a Nobel Peace Prize; and building or repairing thousands of homes in more than a dozen countries with his beloved Rosalynn as part of Habitat for Humanity.
But I’m willing to bet that many people in that church on Sunday morning were there, at least in part, because of something more fundamental: President Carter’s decency.
Elected in the shadow of Watergate, Jimmy Carter promised voters that he would always tell the truth. And he did – advocating for the public good, consequences be damned. He believed some things were more important than reelection – things like integrity, respect, and compassion. Because Jimmy Carter believed, as deeply as he believed anything, that we are all created in God’s image.
Whenever I had a chance to spend time with President Carter, it was clear that he didn’t just profess these values. He embodied them. And in doing so, he taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service. In his Nobel acceptance speech, President Carter said, “God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace.” He made that choice again and again over the course of his 100 years, and the world is better for it.
Maranatha Baptist Church will be a little quieter on Sundays, but President Carter will never be far away – buried alongside Rosalynn next to a willow tree down the road, his memory calling all of us to heed our better angels. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from this remarkable man.
Statement from Gov. Tony Evers:
“Former President Carter was a committed and dedicated advocate for peace, human rights, and treating others with dignity, decency, and respect—qualities that earned him respect and admiration from many across our country and around the world. He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of humanitarian and public health achievements not only during and throughout his presidency but beyond it, as well,” said Gov. Evers. “Kathy and I extend our sympathies to former President Carter’s family and loved ones and wish them peace during this time.”
Former President Carter served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981, and upon his death, he was the longest-living former American president in the nation’s history. Former President Carter is remembered for several notable achievements during his time in office, including his work to broker the Camp David Accords, his leadership in addressing climate change and investing in solar energy research, and his commitment to equity and inclusion and appointing more women and people of color to positions in the federal government.
Throughout his presidency and his subsequent philanthropic efforts, former President Carter was also widely recognized for his steadfast commitment to human rights and public health, working to eradicate infectious diseases and promote peace and democracy across the globe. In 2002, former President Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work.
A forthcoming executive order will lower the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to half-staff across the state in conjunction with federal law at 4 U.S.C. § 7(m), which provides that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff for thirty days following the death of a former president of the United States.
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