Exploring the Legacy of Jimmy Carter, the 39th President
April 2022
From Peanut Farm to Presidential Library
Three days later, we drove back to Atlanta, this time to visit the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, beautifully located within 30 acres of green parkland. The museum is a powerful time capsule that captures a challenging era I remember well from my teenage years in the late 1970s. The Carter administration faced enormous challenges, including the energy crisis and the Iran hostage crisis. Through the use of multimedia from that period, the museum successfully made me remember the anxiety I felt while watching the hostage crisis on TV decades ago.
A Life Being Well-Lived
Our visit revealed that this museum is a testament to a life being well-lived. It beautifully honors the Carters’ 75-year partnership and their shared mission to leave the world a little kinder than they found it. Seeing their lifelong dedication to peace and human rights, I felt a sense of sadness that they have to witness their legacy being under attack in these times.
From a Georgia farm boy, Jimmy Carter grew up to become President of the United States and an international humanitarian. Who has traveled farther in one lifetime? Jimmy Carter grew up on the red clay soil of a Georgia peanut farm and rose to the presidency of the United States. Since 1982, as the founder of The Carter Center, he has helped millions of people around the world fight disease and pursue human rights. This exhibition explores a unique story.