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Former President Jimmy Carter passed away on Dec. 29, 2024, at the age of 100. The 39th president of the United States, Carter was known not only as the longest-lived American president but also as a great humanitarian.

Thomas Zeiler, professor of history and director of the program in international affairs, shared more about Carter’s life and legacy with ���������� Today.

Professor Thomas Zeiler

Why is Carter such a memorable president?

I think Carter had the most humane presidency because he himself was a very humane person. He genuinely cared about people. I think growing up liberal in a racist, rural town in Georgia, while also being a businessman, made him sensitive to the plight of all people. He was deeply religious but not dogmatic about it. He was a Navy man, which made him tough, but also realistic. But over all of those great qualities, Carter was humane. And you certainly see that reflected in his post-presidential years.

What were his biggest achievements in office?

There were many successes under the Carter administration, especially domestically. He signed legislation establishing both the Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Energy. He developed an energy plan during the 1979 oil crisis that spurred oil production by deregulating oil and natural gas prices, as well as airlines. He also designated over 50 million acres of Alaska wilderness as federally protected national monuments. In terms of racial equality, Carter’s administration was inclusive. The number of Hispanic, Black and Asian officials he appointed to high positions was unprecedented during that time and he was also the first president to have gay officials at the White House.

And if you look at foreign policy, Carter helped bring peace to the Middle East, to an extent, by establishing the framework for a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt known as the Camp David Accords.

What challenges did Carter face during his presidency?

Carter’s main challenge domestically was the economy. He took office shortly after the first oil crisis and the infamous Watergate scandal. He tried to face the economic problems by maintaining a free trade stance and producing more oil, but we were in the aftershocks of Vietnam war spending and in the midst of a national war on poverty. As a result, the nation experienced high inflation and high unemployment—a concept also known as ”stagflation,” which is something we’re facing today.

But Carter’s biggest challenges were related to foreign affairs, most notably the revolution and hostage crisis in Iran. Many Americans believed Carter’s actions, or rather lack of action, made our country look weak. This perception was made worse by the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Obviously the Soviets had their own reasons for invading Afghanistan, but many believed they took advantage of America’s preoccupation with the Iran hostage crisis, which lasted over a year.

So Carter was really hurt by foreign policy. It created an image of weakness late in his presidency which likely contributed to his not being reelected.

How did he continue his legacy after he left office?

Carter had the longest post-presidential career of any president. He went right to work after his time in office. He and his wife Rosalyn volunteered for Habitat for Humanity on a weekly basis and established the Carter Center—a not-for-profit organization focused on advancing human rights and improving life for people in more than 80 countries.

In addition to being a scholar and teacher in residence at Emory University, Carter won the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the Carter Center, as well as his time spent supervising elections and providing hurricane relief to countries in Latin America, Asia and Africa.

What should people always remember about Jimmy Carter?

I think many people would agree that Carter’s work post-presidency was more important for the health of the world. And I think the lesson there is that you don’t know what your impact is going to be until you follow through. Carter looked at the post-presidency as a great opportunity. Even after his most powerful moment was long gone, he changed the world—and that’s pretty remarkable.