The recent death of Rosalynn Carter, former First Lady of the United States and a dedicated mental health advocate, marks the end of an era in American history. Her lifelong dedication to humanitarian efforts, her unwavering support of mental health awareness, and her influential role as running mate to former President Jimmy Carter have left an indelible mark on the nation and the world.
Carter was ninety-six. She entered hospice care at her home in Georgia on Friday. She was highly regarded for her political acumen, with special recognition for her keen electoral intuition, friendly demeanor, and efforts on behalf of the White House, which included serving as ambassador to South America.
During her public career, Carter was involved in a number of social causes, including initiatives that promoted access to health care, human rights, social justice, and the needs of the elderly. Carter stated at a 2003 mental health symposium, “Twenty-five years ago we never dreamed that people could one day recover from mental illness.” “It’s a very real possibility today.”
“For someone who has worked with mental health issues as long as I have,” she said, “this is a miraculous development and an answer to my prayers.” The couple’s human rights organization, the Carter Center, revealed her dementia diagnosis in late May. The organization released a statement saying, “She continues to live happily at home with her husband, enjoying spring in the Plains and visiting with loved ones.”
The National Library of First Ladies states that Bess Truman, wife of President Harry Truman, is the only First Lady to have lived longer. (Bess Truman died at age 97 in 1982.) The longest-married presidential couple in American history was Jimmy and Rosalynn. After leaving the White House, the Carters gained respect for their humanitarian efforts. They had a close relationship with Habitat for Humanity, which considered them “some of our best hands-on construction volunteers, tireless advocates, and active fundraisers.”
On August 18, 1927, Eleanor Rosalynn Smith was born in Plains, Georgia. Alethea Murray Smith and Wilburn Edgar Smith raised Eleanor as the first of their four children. Rosalynn’s mother became a seamstress to support the family after her father died when she was thirteen.
Rosalynn had to take on more responsibilities alongside her mother due to her father’s early death. However, the family unit managed to survive. Rosalynn enrolled at Georgia Southwestern College after completing her high school education. After her freshman year, in 1945, she went on a date with Jimmy Carter, a childhood family friend who was returning from the United States Naval Academy.
Jimmy Carter told his mother after their first date, “She’s the girl I want to marry,” according to a biography compiled by the White House Historical Association. The following year, on July 7, 1946, they tied the knot. They moved to Norfolk, Virginia, which was Jimmy’s first duty station after graduation. However, they had to move regularly because they were a Navy family.
John William was born in Virginia, James Earl III in Hawaii, Donnel Jeffrey in Connecticut, and their only daughter Amy Lynn in Georgia. The four children were born in different states. After Jimmy’s father died in 1953, the couple returned to the Plains to manage the family peanut company. Rosalynn quickly began working full-time for the company, helping with front-office duties such as accounting.
Jimmy decided to enter politics in the early 1960s and was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 1962. He ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1966; Rosalynn told Time magazine in 2010 that it was during this campaign that she became more aware of the difficulties faced by individuals with mental illness. “The more I thought about it and found out, the more I thought it was just a horrible situation with no attention,” she said.
Six years later, Rosalynn advised her husband’s grassroots presidential campaign after helping to lay the groundwork for her husband’s successful 1970 Georgia gubernatorial bid. Her liveliness on the trail caught the attention of political reporters.
U.S. News & World Report reported in May 1976 that “Rosalynn Carter, 49, the candidate’s wife, is campaigning with the kind of tireless, racehorse energy that has characterized Carter’s operation for the past 18 months.” The article’s author continued: “Not only that: Top advisers say Mrs. Carter is her husband’s most influential political adviser.”
Rosalynn gained special attention for her deft use of interpersonal skills to win over voters to her husband’s cause with genuine warmth. She made the case for her husband on her own terms, traversing the nation alone—an unusual move for the time. In June 1976, the U.S. News & World Report said, “Ms. Carter, quiet and unassuming, prefers face-to-face meetings with voters.” “In her 30-state campaign, she has scheduled frequent sit-ins at racetracks and shopping malls.”
In 1976, Jimmy defeated President Gerald Ford by running as a political outsider, symbolically renouncing the demoralizing post-Watergate era. As the media soon learned, Rosalynn would not be content to sit on the sidelines of Washington. In January 1977, Jane Whitmore of Newsweek wrote, “Rosalynn Carter will not be just an East Wing decoration, the first lady to paint the White House or preside over parties.”
Rosalynn told Whitmore, “There are things I want to do, and there’s only so much you can do.” My aim is to work autonomously and independently on issues relating to older people and mental health.’
“Jimmy always talked to me about things, like picking the vice president or the cabinet,” she said. “I’ve been attending meetings ever since. Even if I don’t agree, I always tell him what I think and continue to do so.”
Rosalynn made a name for herself by taking an active role in her husband’s management. She participated in cabinet meetings, went to important briefings, gave speeches on behalf of the White House at formal events, was an honorary member of the Mental Health Commission, and accompanied the president on his personal envoy’s trips to Latin American countries.
Many Americans, including some Democrats, thought that Jimmy Carter was a failed commander-in-chief during his mixed presidency, especially in light of the media attention generated by the Iran hostage situation in late 1979. Rosalynn made a major effort in the 1980 campaign to re-elect her husband to a second term; However, Jimmy was defeated by Ronald Reagan, a former Hollywood star and California governor who represented the growing conservative movement.
It was reported that she was devastated by her husband’s defeat and the widespread perception among voters that his presidency had been rejected. But she tried to look ahead, as she made clear to political reporters.
Longtime UPI reporter Helen Thomas quoted Rosalynn in a November 1980 article: “I think you accept it. “That’s all you can do once you’ve exhausted all your options. We had no control over it.”
“You’re moving from one phase of your life to the next phase of life,” she said, vowing to “speak up” about the things that are important to her. It will be exciting, I believe.”
The next phase of Rosalynn Carter’s life was successful. In addition to three books on mental health, she has written several books, including a memoir, “First Lady From Plains,” published in 1984.
Along the way, the Carters have received numerous recognitions and awards for their unwavering dedication to improving the lives of people around the world.
In 1982, in collaboration with Atlanta’s Emory University, they founded the Carter Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to human rights. Seven years later, she founded the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving at Georgia Southwestern State University.
For more than thirty years, she hosted the annual Mental Health Symposium at the Carter Center, bringing together professionals and advocates to talk about mental health issues, how families can support their loved ones, how to pay for caregiving services, how to support research, and how to reduce stigma.
In August 1999, President Bill Clinton awarded them the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In a speech at the Carter Center, Clinton praised the couple for their achievements in humanitarian work.
“Rarely do we honor two people who have been so effective in advancing freedom in all these ways,” Clinton said. “Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter have done more good things for more people in more places than any other couple on the face of the earth.”
The Carters have made fewer public appearances in recent years. However, during the 2020 presidential campaign, they did a video tribute to Joe Biden that was shown during a segment of the Democratic National Convention broadcast.
Rosalynn Carter’s legacy as a pioneer and advocate for mental health awareness and humanitarian causes remains deeply etched in the annals of American history. Her departure marks not only the loss of a former first lady but also the departure of a beacon of compassion, resilience, and unwavering commitment to the betterment of society.
Her remarkable journey from humble beginnings in Plains, Georgia to the highest levels of political influence alongside her husband, former President Jimmy Carter, demonstrated her unwavering commitment to making a positive impact on the world. Her compassionate nature, shaped by personal problems and primal responsibilities, led her to fight for causes that often went unnoticed or lacked the attention they deserved.
Rosalynn Carter’s tenure as First Lady redefined her role through her active involvement in political affairs, advocacy for mental health awareness, and tireless dedication to improving society. Her efforts extended far beyond the White House, as evidenced by the establishment of influential institutions such as the Carter Center and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving.
Through these institutions, she has worked to address pressing global issues, elevate conversations about mental health, and provide practical support to caregivers, leaving a legacy that transcends political boundaries and continues to positively impact countless lives.
Her passing leaves a void in humanitarian efforts and mental health advocacy, yet her legacy serves as a guide for future generations. Rosalynn Carter’s life is a testament to the profound impact an individual can have when they combine passion, resilience, and unwavering commitment to causes that resonate deeply with humanity.
While the nation will mourn her passing, her lasting legacy will continue to inspire and remind us of the power of compassion, the importance of mental health awareness, and the importance of dedicated service to others. Rosalynn Carter’s life will forever be a testament to the enduring virtues of empathy, selflessness, and advocacy for a better world.