Jimmy Carter's Success and Achievements in Timeline
A closer look at the biggest achievements of Jimmy Carter. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.
Jimmy Carter, the 39th U.S. President (1977-1981), was a Democratic politician and humanitarian. Before his presidency, he served as the 76th Governor of Georgia (1971-1975) and in the Georgia State Senate (1963-1967). Notably, Carter was the longest-lived U.S. president, reaching the age of 100.
January 12, 1971: Sworn in as Governor of Georgia
On January 12, 1971, Carter was sworn in as the 76th governor of Georgia. He declared that "the time for racial discrimination is over".
March 1976: Lead in Presidential Nomination
By mid-March 1976, Jimmy Carter was far ahead of the active contenders for the presidential nomination, and led incumbent Republican president Gerald Ford by a few percentage points.
1976: Ran for president
In 1976, Carter ran for president, secured the Democratic nomination as a dark horse, and narrowly defeated Republican incumbent Gerald Ford in the general election.
June 23, 1977: Carter Praises Working Relationship with Congress
On June 23, 1977, in an address to a fundraising dinner for the Democratic National Committee, Jimmy Carter spoke of the development of a "good working relationship with the Congress," contrasting it with "government by partisanship" of the previous eight years.
1977: Public Works Employment Act
In 1977, due to economic stimulus legislation, such as the Public Works Employment Act of 1977, proposed by Jimmy Carter and passed by Congress, real household median income had grown by 5.2%, with a projection of 6.4% for the next quarter.
April 3, 1978: Carter Visits Nigeria
On April 3, 1978, Jimmy Carter concluded his visit to Nigeria to improve relations. During this visit, the first by a U.S. president, he reiterated the U.S.'s interest in convening a peace conference on Rhodesia involving all parties.
July 1978: Unemployment Rate
By July 1978, under Jimmy Carter, the unemployment rate declined from 8.1% when he took office to 5.7%.
September 1978: Camp David Accords Negotiations
In September 1978, Jimmy Carter invited Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin to Camp David for negotiations aimed at creating a definitive peace. These negotiations eventually led to the Camp David Accords, which ended the war between Israel and Egypt.
October 15, 1978: Energy Legislation Approval
The Carter energy legislation was approved by Congress after much deliberation and modification on October 15, 1978. The measure deregulated the sale of natural gas, dropped a longstanding pricing disparity between intra- and interstate gas, and created tax credits to encourage energy conservation and the use of non-fossil fuels.
December 1978: Carter Announces Recognition of the People's Republic of China
In December 1978, Jimmy Carter announced the United States' intention to formally recognize and establish full diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) starting on January 1, 1979, while severing ties with Taiwan.
June 18, 1979: Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty II Signed
On June 18, 1979, the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty II (SALT II) was signed by Jimmy Carter and Leonid Brezhnev.
October 1979: Curran Ends Investigation of Carter
In October 1979, special counsel Paul J. Curran announced that no evidence had been found to support allegations that funds loaned from the National Bank of Georgia had been diverted to Jimmy Carter's 1976 presidential campaign, ending the investigation.
1979: Chrysler Corporation Loan Guarantee Act
In December 1979, Congress passed the Chrysler Corporation Loan Guarantee Act. Jimmy Carter signed the bill into law in January, providing $3.5 billion in aid to bail out Chrysler, saving thousands of jobs. The bailout was successful at the time.
1984: Receives Golden Plate Award
Jimmy Carter received the American Academy of Achievement's Golden Plate Award in 1984.
1989: Soviet Union withdraws from Afghanistan
Despite huge expenditure, the Soviet Union was unable to quell the insurgency and withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989.
1991: Honorary member of Phi Beta Kappa
In 1991, Jimmy Carter was made an honorary member of Phi Beta Kappa at Kansas State University and was elected to the American Philosophical Society.
1998: USS Jimmy Carter Submarine Named
In 1998, the U.S. Navy named the third and final Seawolf-class submarine USS Jimmy Carter.
2002: Nobel Peace Prize
In 2002, Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work promoting human rights through the Carter Center.
2007: Grammy Award for Our Endangered Values
In 2007, Jimmy Carter won the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for "Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis."
2009: Post Presidency Recognition
In 2009, The Independent noted that Jimmy Carter is widely considered a better man than he was a president, highlighting the praise for his post-presidency activities.
2009: Documentary on Camp David Accords
The 2009 documentary "Back Door Channels: The Price of Peace" credited Jimmy Carter's efforts at Camp David with bringing the only meaningful peace to the Middle East.
August 10, 2010: Negotiated Release of Aijalon Gomes
On August 10, 2010, Jimmy Carter traveled to North Korea and negotiated the release of Aijalon Gomes.
2012: Longest-Retired President
In 2012, Jimmy Carter surpassed Herbert Hoover as the longest-retired U.S. president.
2015: Grammy Award for A Full Life: Reflections at 90
In 2015, Jimmy Carter won the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for "A Full Life: Reflections at 90".
2017: 40th Anniversary of Inauguration
In 2017, Jimmy Carter became the first president to live to the 40th anniversary of his inauguration. He also became the oldest former president ever to attend an American presidential inauguration.
2018: Grammy Award for Faith: A Journey For All
In 2018, Jimmy Carter won the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for "Faith: A Journey For All".
March 22, 2019: Longest-Lived U.S. President
On March 22, 2019, Jimmy Carter became the longest-lived U.S. president.
October 19, 2019: Longest-Wed Presidential Couple
On October 19, 2019, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter became the longest-married presidential couple, surpassing George and Barbara Bush at 26,765 days.
2021: 40th Anniversary of Post Presidency
In 2021, Carter became the first president to live to the 40th anniversary of his post-presidency.
November 2022: Filing Opinion in Support of Lawsuit Against Land Swap in Alaska
In November 2022, Jimmy Carter filed an opinion in support of a lawsuit by environmental groups against the Trump administration's proposed land swap in Alaska, citing the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.
February 21, 2024: White House Christmas ornament unveiled
On February 21, 2024, the White House Historical Association unveiled its official 2024 White House Christmas ornament honoring Carter's naval service and efforts for peace, marking the first time a president being honored was alive at the time of the unveiling.
September 17, 2024: Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song
On September 17, 2024, The Carter Center held Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song, a concert featuring appearances by musicians and celebrities to celebrate Carter's upcoming 100th birthday.
October 1, 2024: Carter turns 100
On October 1, 2024, Jimmy Carter turned 100 years old, becoming the first U.S. president to reach this milestone. Celebrations included a Navy flyover and a naturalization ceremony at Plains High School.
November 2024: 10th Grammy Nomination
In November 2024, Carter received his 10th nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album.
2024: Progress in Eradicating Guinea Worm Disease
As of 2024, specifically the first seven months, the Carter Center reported only four cases of dracunculiasis (Guinea worm disease), a significant decrease from 3.5 million cases in the mid-1980s, highlighting the impact of their efforts with the World Health Organization.
