Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, U.S. President Jimmy Carter, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin shake hands after signing the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in the East Room of the White House. September 17, 1978. September 19, 1978 The White House, Washington DC, USA
James Earl “Jimmy” Carter, Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States (1977–1981) and was awarded the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office. Before he became President, Carter, a Democrat, served as a U.S. Naval officer, was a peanut farmer, served two terms as a Georgia State Senatorand one as Governor of Georgia (1971–1975).
During Carter’s term as President, he created two new cabinet-level departments: the Department of Energy and the Department of Education. He established a national energy policy that included conservation, price control, and new technology. In foreign affairs, Carter pursued the Camp David Accords, the Panama Canal Treaties, the second round of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT II), and returned the Panama Canal Zone to Panama. He took office during a period of international stagflation, which persisted throughout his term. The end of his presidential tenure was marked by the 1979–1981 Iran hostage crisis, the 1979 energy crisis, the Three Mile Island nuclear accident, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the United States boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow (the only U.S. boycott in Olympic history), and the eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington state.
By 1980, Carter’s popularity had eroded. He survived a primary challenge against Ted Kennedy for the Democratic Party nomination in the 1980 election, but lost the election to Ronald Reagan, the Republican candidate. On January 20, 1981, minutes after Carter’s term in office ended, the 52 U.S. captives held at the U.S. embassy in Iran were released, ending the 444-day Iran hostage crisis.[3]
After leaving office, Carter and his wife Rosalynn founded the Carter Center in 1982,[4] a nongovernmental, not-for-profit organization that works to advance human rights. He has traveled extensively to conduct peace negotiations, observe elections, and advance disease prevention and eradication in developing nations. Carter is a key figure in the Habitat for Humanity project,[5] and also remains particularly vocal on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
Six of his most important books
Through the Year with Jimmy Carter: 366 Daily Meditations from the 39th President
“President Jimmy Carter is an excellent bible teacher.”
“One page for a day is just right length to read while having coffee before going to work. ”
Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid
“I want to thank President Jimmy Carter for all he has done for peace and for truth. ”
“I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the Middle East and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. ”
“President Carter agreed that such a man, if he did such a thing, would be guilty of racism. ”
“It gets 12 pages in, not counting the prologue, before providing a map of the entire region. ”
“I enjoy reading most books that have been written by President Carter. ”
“It is one of the most interesting books I have ever read. ”
“With this volume the reader is treated to a clear, well written memoir of Mr. Carter’s rural boyhood on a Georgia farm during the depression. ”
“I have always had great admiration for Jimmy Carter, and this book only confirmed it. ”
Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis
“Maybe this book, if everyone reads it, will get people to do just that. ”
“This book, which covers a very broad spectrum of issues, is extremely well written and all the points are made in a straight forward and honest way. ”
“Jimmy Carter’s new book is a critique of America’s current leadership and the rise of fundamentalism in today’s religion and politics. ”
Categories: Americas
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