Rosalynn Carter

Rosalynn Carter
Name	Rosalynn Carter
Caption	Official portrait, 1977
Birth name	Eleanor Rosalynn Smith
Birth date	18 August 1927
Birth place	Plains, Georgia, U.S.
Death date	19 November 2023
Death place	Plains, Georgia, U.S.
Spouse	Jimmy Carter (m. 1946)
Children	Jack, Chip, Jeff, Amy Carter
Education	Georgia Southwestern College
Party	Democratic

Rosalynn Carter was an American writer, activist, and public figure who served as the First Lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981 during the presidency of her husband, Jimmy Carter. A key political partner and trusted advisor, she was a pioneering advocate for mental health awareness, the Equal Rights Amendment, and numerous humanitarian causes. Her work extended globally through the Carter Center, and she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1999.

Early life and education

Eleanor Rosalynn Smith was born in Plains, Georgia, the eldest of four children to Wilburn Edgar Smith, an auto mechanic and farmer, and Frances Allethea "Allie" Murray Smith, a dressmaker. Her father died when she was 13, leading her to assist her mother in raising her younger siblings while excelling academically at Plains High School. She attended Georgia Southwestern College in Americus, Georgia, studying interior design, though she left before graduating to support her family. Her early life in rural Sumter County, Georgia, during the Great Depression instilled a strong work ethic and a deep connection to her community.

Marriage and family

She began dating Jimmy Carter, the brother of her close friend Ruth Carter Stapleton, after he returned from the United States Naval Academy. They married on July 7, 1946, in Plains, shortly after his graduation, and their marriage lasted over 77 years until her death. As a United States Navy spouse, she lived in naval housing in Norfolk, Virginia, Honolulu, and San Diego before returning to Georgia in 1953 to manage the family peanut warehouse business after the death of Jimmy Carter's father, James Earl Carter Sr.. They had four children: John William "Jack", James Earl "Chip" III, Donnel Jeffrey "Jeff", and Amy Carter.

First Lady of Georgia

When Jimmy Carter was elected Governor of Georgia in 1970, she transformed the traditionally ceremonial role of First Lady of Georgia. She served as a full-time member of the Governor's Commission to Improve Services for the Mentally and Emotionally Handicapped, traveling across the state to inspect facilities and advocate for reform. Her work led to significant legislative improvements and funding for mental health services in Georgia, establishing her as a serious policy advocate. She also focused on programs for the elderly and was an active campaigner during her husband's successful 1976 presidential bid.

First Lady of the United States

As First Lady, she broke precedent by attending Cabinet meetings and undertaking significant diplomatic missions, including trips to Latin America and Thailand. She served as the Honorary Chair of the President's Commission on Mental Health, which was instrumental in the passage of the Mental Health Systems Act of 1980. A staunch supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment, she lobbied state legislators and addressed the United Nations on its importance. She also championed the National Historic Preservation Act and the advancement of the Arts in education movement, while representing the administration at the funeral of Pope John Paul I.

Post–White House years and advocacy

Following the 1980 election, she and her husband founded the Carter Center in Atlanta in 1982, where she served as a vice chair and led initiatives on mental health, caregiver support, and conflict resolution. She established the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers at Georgia Southwestern State University and was a leading voice in destigmatizing mental illness globally. She authored several books, including *First Lady from Plains* and *Helping Someone with Mental Illness*, and worked extensively with Habitat for Humanity. She received numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and induction into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

Death and legacy

She was diagnosed with dementia in May 2023 and entered hospice care at her home in Plains in November 2023. She died there on November 19, 2023, at the age of 96. Her funeral was held at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, with tributes from figures including President Joe Biden and Former First Ladies Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama. She is interred at the Carter residence. Her legacy endures through her transformative advocacy for mental health, her redefinition of the role of First Lady as a policy partner, and her lifelong humanitarian work with the Carter Center.

Category:1927 births Category:2023 deaths Category:First Ladies of the United States Category:American mental health activists