Biography of Rosalynn Carter
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Showing the world a new vision of the First Lady, Mrs. Carter was a working partner and trusted advisor to the president, a participant in foreign and domestic affairs, and an astute political strategist. It was on the campaign trail that Rosalynn became deeply interested in mental health issues, as a result of her frequent conversations with his constituents.
When Jimmy was ultimately elected governor, Rosalynn saw to all the traditional responsibilities of a first lady, such as hosting, but she also went further, taking over the financial accounting of the governor’s mansion as well as its landscaping and also wrote a book about the mansion.
Their sons were born in different places: John William in Virginia, James Earl III in Hawaii, and Donnel Jeffrey in Connecticut. The couple returned to their home in Plains, Georgia.
Following the formation of the Carter Center in 1982, the former first lady leveraged the foundation to advance developments in the areas of mental health, human rights and poverty.
Their romance progressed, and in 1946 they were married.
The young couple went to Norfolk, Virginia, Ensign Carter's first duty station after graduation. She also handled his political correspondence during his subsequent two terms.
The couple’s working partnership was further cemented when Jimmy ran for governor of Georgia in 1970 and Rosalynn campaigned for her husband.
She was honorary chair of the call-to-action campaign, Last Acts: Care and Caring at the End of Life, a national coalition of individuals and organizations advocating more compassionate care for those who are dying, and distinguished fellow of the Emory University Department of Women’s Studies. She campaigned full time on a separate schedule in the 1976 and 1980 presidential races.
As Georgia’s First Lady, Mrs.
Carter led a passionate fight against the stigma of mental illnesses and worked to overhaul the state’s mental health care system. She joined the staff in October 2022 and most recently worked as an editor for Popular Mechanics, Runner’s World, and Bicycling. In Geneva, Switzerland, she became the first First Lady to address the World Health Organization.
Drawing from her own experiences as a working woman, wife, and mother, she spent many hours lobbying for support of the Equal Rights Amendment; she mobilized representatives from private voluntary relief organizations, labor, and the corporate world in an appeal that raised tens of millions of dollars for Cambodian refugees; and she brought together 23 leading organizations to develop solutions for problems of the elderly at a White House Roundtable Discussion on Aging.
However, her choice to do so was a reflection of the Carters’ personality. They were married on July 7, 1946, at Plains Methodist Church.
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The newlyweds moved to Norfolk, Virginia, the first in a long series of assignments in Jimmy’s naval career that would take them to bases around the country for the next seven years.
Rosalynn also presided over the White House Conference on Aging.
In her more traditional duties as first lady, Rosalynn again stood out, though in this capacity, through the frugal manner in which she ran the White House, serving inexpensive menus at dinners, refusing to serve hard alcohol, and choosing to wear simple, non-designer clothing.
“She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. Our staff also works with freelance writers, researchers, and other contributors to produce the smart, compelling profiles and articles you see on our site. Mrs. Carter described her years as a Navy wife as a coming of age in which she developed the self-confidence to manage a household with three babies on her own while her husband worked and was often aboard ship.
Three sons were born in different Navy ports: John William “Jack” Carter, July 3, 1947, in Norfolk, Va.; James Earl “Chip” Carter III in Honolulu, Hawaii, on April 12, 1950; and Donnel Jeffrey “Jeff” Carter on August 18, 1952, in New London, Conn.
She saw the toll that caring for a loved one with mental illness had on a family and knew firsthand the burden of caring for a critically ill or aging family member. The 96-year-old, who had dementia, was surrounded by her family, including her husband, former President Jimmy Carter. She also served on the board of advisors for Habitat for Humanity, an organization she and Carter participated in regularly since 1984.
She also took a strong interest in programs to aid mental health, the community, and the elderly. As a child, she was shaped by strong religious and family values and an early acceptance of hard work and responsibility.
When her father died of leukemia at age 44, Rosalynn’s mother had to go to work.