Jimmy Carter Is an American Icon: Learn Lesser Known Facts About the Former President

From his foundation to his Nobel Peace Prize, former President Jimmy Carter has certainly left his mark on the United States of America. The statesman  is now 99 years old as of publication, and his grandson Jason Carter informed the public that the beloved peanut farmer is asleep most days.To honor him, Woman’s World has rounded up the 11 best and lesser known  Jimmy Carter facts, including what his real name is. Keep scrolling for that and more.

1. Jimmy Carter was the 39th president of the United States

Former President Carter was a member of the Democratic party and served as the 39th president of the United States of America after beating former President Gerald R. Ford — Carter had 297 electoral votes and Ford had 241.

Former President Carter was in office from January 20, 1977, to January 20, 1981. He was succeeded by Ronald Reagan after Reagan beat him in the 1980 presidential election. Carter lost in part due to some voters thinking  that his ideals were not appropriate for the time period. Others, however, voted for Reagan because of how slowly Carter seemingly handled the Iran hostage crisis in 1979 — a contentious point of history that has since been re-examined, as claims the Reagan campaign intentionally worked to stop hostages from being freed before Election day have surfaced since.

Related: Jimmy Carter’s Grandson Offers an Emotional Update on the Former President: His Health Journey

2. Jimmy Carter was a governor and a senator

Before he took over the Oval Office, Carter served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975, and worked on removing racial barriers across the state during his time in office. He was also a Georgia state senator from 1963 to 1967.

Related: The Fascinating Relationship Between Jimmy Carter and the Allman Brothers

3. Jimmy Carter won a Nobel Peace Prize

In 2002, former President Carter won a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts, as well as his work toward advancing human rights, democracy and economic development worldwide.

4. Jimmy Carter was married for 77 years

The former president was married to Rosalynn Carter for 77 years. The two tied the knot in 1946 and remained together until her death in 2023. They had four children together.

Related: Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter’s Life in 25 Rare Pictures

5. Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter founded The Carter Center

Founded in 1982 by the Carters and Emory University, The Carter Center is a nongovernmental, not-for-profit organization that helps improve the quilty of life in ove 80 different countries worldwide.

6. Jimmy Carter was born under another name

Former President Carter was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia under the name James Earl Carter, Jr, but he never goes by that name.

7. President Carter was a naval officer

The former president graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1946. After, he served in the Navy as a submariner and then as a lieutenant for seven years before returning home and pursuing a career in state politics.

Related: Jimmy Carter Built a Loving Family: See His Daughter Amy, His Sons and Grandchildren’s Quotes

8. Jimmy Carter created a national energy policy while in office

During his time in the White House, former President Carter worked on creating a national energy policy that would decontrol domestic petroleum prices to stimulate production in an effort to help improve the environment and eliminate the United States’  carbon footprint.

9. Jimmy Carter founded the Department of Education

Along with helping improve the planet, Carter worked to create a fair and equal education and work environment for people from all races and religions. To do that, he created the Department of Education, which allowed him to appoint a record-breaking number of women, African Americans and Hispanics to government jobs.

10. Jimmy Carter helped work on the second nuclear submarine

While he served in the Navy, Carter was selected by Admiral Hyman Rickover for the nuclear submarine program. The program was based in Schenectady, New York, and Carter worked there as a senior officer in the reactor technology and nuclear physics division, where he worked on the second nuclear submarine, Seawolf.

11. Jimmy Carter  has written 32 books

Over the course of his career, President Carter has written 32 books. His first, Why Not the Best?, was published in 1975 and then revised in 1996. Carter's latest book was released in 2018 and was entitled Faith: A Journey for All.

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