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Former first lady Rosalynn Carter dead at 96
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. (Credit: The Carter Center)
ATLANTA — Rosalynn Carter, a small-town girl from Plains, Georgia who married a peanut farmer and went on to become first lady of Georgia and first lady of the United States, as well as an advocate for mental health reform, has died.
She was 96.
>> Watch: Rosalynn Carter tribute service
Her death on Sunday came less than 48 hours after she joined her husband of 77 years, former U.S. President and former Georgia governor Jimmy Carter, in hospice at their home in Plains.
Rosalynn Carter was an author and a lifelong advocate for mental health treatment and caregiving, focusing on reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness.
At a time when the topic of mental health was often swept under the rug, Rosalynn Carter boldly brought it into the national conversation. She convened a White House Conference on Mental Health, which led to the passage of the Mental Health Systems Act in 1980. While Congress repealed most of the law during the Reagan administration, her efforts laid the foundation for a more compassionate and understanding approach to mental health in the United States.
“A proud native Georgian, she had an indelible impact on our state and nation as a first lady to both,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said in a tweet Sunday. “Working alongside her husband, she championed mental health services and promoted the state she loved across the globe. Their marriage, spanning 77 years, stands as a testament to their enduring partnership. Like that marriage, her achievements will stand the test of time and continue to be celebrated by those who knew her best.”
The soft-spoken Carter never took a back seat to her husband. Nor would he let her. He often reminded people she was the co-founder of The Carter Center, the internationally-renowned Atlanta-based nonprofit that works toward peace, conflict resolution and eradicating diseases.
In 1987, she founded the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers at Georgia Southwestern University, her alma mater, to support the needs of people who provide unpaid care for family and friends. The institute has since gained national prominence, and Rosalynn Carter is credited for prompting governments, businesses and nonprofits across the U.S. to address the needs and challenges of being a caregiver.
In 2013, Georgia Southwestern created the Rosalynn Carter Health and Human Sciences Complex, adding clinical space for nursing and the university’s psychology department, and a display honoring her lifetime commitment to caregiving and advocating for mental health awareness.
Acting and speaking as one
Carter graduated from Georgia Southwestern College in the class of 1946 and Jimmy Carter attended there before transferring to Georgia Tech and later to the U.S. Naval Academy.
With the exception of his time in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Rosalynn Carter was never far from her husband’s side. She worked alongside him as he took a stand against racism as governor of Georgia, and as he led the nation as president through the recession in the late-1970s into the early-1980s. After the Carters left politics, they went on to build homes together for Habitat for Humanity, traveling the world on peace missions and spending time in parts of Africa to eradicate diseases such as Guinea Worm and river blindness.
“If you knew them well, they literally moved and acted and spoke as one. She could read people and read the situation and that was invaluable in their relationship,” said Michele Dunn, who knew the Carters for over 20 years and spent time many weekends cooking for them.
Sen. Freddie Powell Sims, D-Dawson, whose southwest Georgia district includes Plains, agreed.
“She supported President Carter with her mind, body and spirit. I mean, she worked,” Sims, 72, told State Affairs. “She hammered he carried the wood to build houses [for Habitat for Humanity]. And she wasn’t a person that just took a photo op with her husband, or with the organization, but she was there on site for most of the build time. Not just a few hours. That was not her way. Not at all. She was a very active supporter and doer.”
Rosalynn Carter had rare qualities that suited her for the role of first lady, Sims said.
“Rosalynn was an equalizer, who had this combination of Southern charm and intellect that is such a rarity,” she added. “And just talking to her and being in her presence, her movement; just such a gentle lady, very classy, but so smart, so dedicated to the welfare of others. It’s just all of those things that you would find and you would want in a first lady of this state, of these United States, and all of the characteristics that you would want in a mother, or even a grandmother …”
Dunn recalled the time Jimmy Carter was being interviewed by a biographer for a book. Rosalynn Carter sat in on the interview and interjected often, correcting her husband’s recollection of events. At one point, he stopped, looked over at her and said, “Rosalynn, are you telling this story or am I?: Without batting an eye, she quipped: “You can, if you tell it correctly.”
“He knew she was right. It was so funny,” Dunn said, laughing. “He didn’t say another word to her about it. He turned and went on with the story. He didn’t argue. That was their relationship. She was as much a part of his life as he was.”
Dunn said Rosalynn Carter had a knack for reading a room and figuring out who people were. And for that reason, Jimmy Carter came to trust and rely on her judgment, Dunn said.
“… I honestly think he never made a decision without her,” Dunn said. “I know them so well, that if she had been against something, I can never imagine that he would have gone against her better judgment because her better judgment was his judgment. Literally to me, they were one soul in two bodies.
“They could shut the world out, and did. I’ve watched him do it at dinner. They would have a private word with each other or there would be a glance and it was like there was nobody else in the room. They knew exactly what the other one meant by that.”
While Dunn said she cooked for the Carters most weekends for years, the couple would never let anyone serve them, preferring instead to serve themselves during the buffet-style meals. Dunn remembers one time when the former first lady ducked into the kitchen after one of the weekend meals and insisted that she wash the dishes. Rosalynn Carter was summarily dismissed from kitchen duty. Dunn says Carter loved Italian cuisine, especially her manicotti and once requested icebox pie, which Dunn made using fresh peaches.
Eleanor Rosalynn Smith was born in Plains, Georgia on Aug. 18, 1927 to Allethea “Allie” and Wilburn Edgar Smith. She was delivered by Lillian Carter, a trained nurse and Jimmy Carter’s late mother. Her future husband got a glimpse of Eleanor Rosalynn Smith a few days after her birth when the toddler Jimmy accompanied his mother to check on the newborn.
The former first lady was thrust into responsibilities at an early age. Her father died when she was 13 years old, and as the oldest child, she helped her mother manage the household and raise her three siblings. In 1944, Rosalynn Carter graduated from Plains High School as the valedictorian. Two years later, she graduated from Georgia Southwestern College.
Carter literally married the boy next door who went on to become a Naval nuclear engineer, governor of Georgia and the nation’s 39th president. She and Jimmy Carter married on July 7, 1946. They are the longest-married presidential couple in U.S. history.
Their partnership in public service intertwined with their love story extended well into their nineties. Over the last decade, the Carters worked on bringing a medical clinic to Plains, fundraising for the local Boys & Girls Club, and helping low-income residents in Sumter County repair and gain title to their homes.
“And this is the kind of work ethic that you find in rural Georgia,” said Sims. “Because your resources are scarce. … Everybody takes care of everybody. And that’s what they did.”
Jill Stuckey, superintendent of the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, and a longtime family friend, got to know the Carters when she worked for the state environmental agency. As of late, she has tended to some of the Carter’s creature comforts, stoking their fireplace and sharing the last of the sugar cane syrup squeezed on the family farm in nearby Archery, as the Carters took in the news on MSNBC.
“Mrs. Carter was the epitome of grace and humbleness,” she said. “She was quiet and reserved but a force to be reckoned with when needed. I will forever cherish our friendship.”
Praises pour in
As news of Rosalynn Carter’s passing spread Sunday, tributes poured in from across the political spectrum and around the world.
Among the first came from her husband of 77 years. In a statement to the Carter Center, President Carter said, “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished. She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”
In addition to the former president, she is survived by her children — Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy — and 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. A grandson died in 2015.
“Besides being a loving mother and extraordinary First Lady, my mother was a great humanitarian in her own right,” said Chip Carter. “Her life of service and compassion was an example for all Americans. She will be sorely missed not only by our family but by the many people who have better mental health care and access to resources for caregiving today.”
Former President Barack Obama tweeted, “Rosalynn Carter was a true champion for mental health and a shining example of grace and compassion. Her legacy will continue to inspire us all.”
Former first lady Michelle Obama echoed her husband’s sentiments, saying, “Rosalynn Carter’s dedication to service and her tireless advocacy for the most vulnerable among us will forever be remembered. She was a trailblazer and a role model for us all.”
Georgia Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff also extended their condolences Sunday.
“As a champion for all Georgians, Rosalynn’s impact on our state was immeasurable,” Warnock tweeted Sunday. “She embodied the principles of love, justice, and humility that resonate in our faith traditions. Moreover, her commitment to destigmatizing mental health care, strengthening human rights and improving global health was an extension of her faith and a testament to her caring spirit. Her work was not about politics — it was about uplifting the vulnerable, showing mercy, and embodying her belief that we are all connected.”
“A former first lady of Georgia and the United States, Rosalynn’s lifetime of work and her dedication for public service changed the lives of many,” Ossoff said in a statement. “Among her many accomplishments, Rosalynn Carter will be remembered for her compassionate nature and her passion for women’s rights, human rights, and mental health reform. Georgia and the United States are better places because of Rosalynn Carter.”
Read these related stories:
Senior reporter Jill Jordan Sieder contributed to this report.
Share your thoughts about Rosalynn Carter with State Affairs at [email protected].
Contact Tammy Joyner on X @lvjoyner or at [email protected]. And sign up for our free newsletter so you do not miss an update.
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Despite opposition, both chambers pass their proposed redistricting maps
It’s crunch time for state lawmakers tasked with meeting a Dec. 8 deadline for creating new electoral maps for the Georgia General Assembly and U.S. Congress, also known as redistricting.
Our senior investigative reporters, Tammy Joyner and Jill Jordan Sieder, were covering the special legislative session at the Capitol this week. Joyner is following the Senate proceedings, while Sieder is following the House proceedings. They will be your eyes and ears during the eight-day session, which means you will find a variety of stories and live updates on what’s happening inside and even outside of the Capitol. The special session will resume on Monday. And so will we.
We’d love to hear from you — our readers. If there’s something you would like us to report on during the special session or just have a question about what’s going on, shoot us an email at [email protected].
Here are some of the highlights of Friday’s session.
In and about the Senate
Quote(s) of the day:
“In the maps being drawn by the Republican majority, 80% of the Black voters on the map who are being redistricted come from outside these new growth areas where there are large and growing Black populations. And yet the court specifically identified disenfranchisement areas within the order. Eighty percent of Black voters are being shuffled around. This is like the Republicans’ mother scolded them and said, ‘Clean your room.’ And instead of doing that, they hung up a couple of shirts and left all of the dirty underwear all over the floor.”
— Sen. Elena Parent, D-Atlanta, said of the proposed map change
“It hurts my feelings. I get defensive because I feel like I’m essentially being called a racist for supporting a map that is compliant with racial numbers the judge wants.”
— Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, who gave an eloquent history of redistricting in Georgia
Biggest thing that happened today:
The Congressional map proposed by the state Senate for the U.S. House was quietly released Friday afternoon to little fanfare after both chambers’ sessions had adjourned. Next week’s session will clearly focus on that map.
Meanwhile, after more than four hours of debate, the Senate passed Senate Bill 1 EX by a vote of 32-23. The bill is the proposed revised district map, which drew lots of opposition from voting rights groups and Democrats who say the map still dilutes Black voting power and violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
Lots of partisan volleying back and forth. Democrats accused the Senate Committee on Reapportionment and Redistricting of not allowing enough time for people to speak about the map. Republicans held firm that the map meets U.S. District Judge Steve Jones’ order.
After the Senate map’s passage, the Senate Redistricting Committee met briefly to hear public comment on House Bill 1 EX — the House’s proposed district map, which also passed the House on Friday. No action was taken.
Interesting observation inside the Capitol:
A group of children, babies in strollers and their parents with South Cobb Homeschool filed through the Capitol.
Happening while lawmakers are in session:
A group of health care professionals greeted lawmakers and visitors as they entered the Capitol with signs urging safe storage of firearms. They handed out information that noted 4.6 million children live in homes with at least one loaded, unlocked firearm. They mentioned HB 161, hoping that bill will see some movement when the Legislature reconvenes on Jan. 8.
What’s for lunch?
There was no official break for lunch. Some senators worked through lunch, grabbing snacks from the nearby mini cafe off the side of the chamber.
— Tammy Joyner
In and about the House
Quote(s) of the day:
“This map is an undemocratic, un-American, blatant exercise of partisan gerrymandering that harms the freedom of Georgians to elect their candidates of choice … Unfortunately it seems that we are repeating the mistakes of our dark past under Republican control of the Georgia Legislature.”
— Minority Whip Sam Park, D-Lawrenceville, on the proposed state House map
“I had to take a test to vote … I understand why voting matters … and as an attorney, I understand that when a judge tells you to do something in an order, you comply. He said to create five majority-Black districts — not opportunity districts or coalition districts or crossover districts. Chairman [Rob] Leverett’s map complies with everything the judge required.”
— Rep. Soo Hong, R-Lawrenceville, Gov. Kemp’s floor leader
Biggest thing that happened today:
The state House voted 101 to 78 along party lines to pass the proposed House electoral map crafted by Republican leadership, over the intense objections of Democrats, who said the map violates the Voting Rights Act by breaking up two minority opportunity districts and unnecessarily eliminating or vastly changing Democratic districts.
Minority Leader James Beverly, D-Macon, said the GOP maps “failed to remedy the wrong directed toward our African-American electorate that was disenfranchised” by the maps enacted by the Republican-controlled Legislature in 2021. He was also frustrated by the earlier decision of House redistricting committee chair Rob Leverett, R-Elberton, to bar a Democratic amendment that would have presented an alternate map for the committee to consider. The amended plan would have decoupled six incumbent Democrats and two incumbent Republicans who were paired in the same districts in the GOP plan.
Leverett said he could not find a way to comply with the court order to create five majority-Black districts without creating some incumbent pairings, noting, “we did not inflict political casualty solely on the opposing party — we took some damage ourselves.”
Interesting observation inside the Capitol:
Facility staff put the finishing touches on holiday decorations inside the Capitol, including putting the star on the giant Christmas tree in the rotunda, which will be decorated with much fanfare on Monday.
Happening while lawmakers are in session:
The Christmas decorating wasn’t limited to inside the corridors of the Statehouse. Facility staff were also sprucing up the outside with Christmas cheer, too.
What’s for lunch?
Some House members enjoyed pizza, and this intrepid reporter had what is certain to be her first — and last — Hot Pocket.
— Jill Jordan Sieder
In case you missed it, here’s what you need to know about the special legislative session.
Subscribe to State Affairs so you will have unlimited access to all of our stories.
We’d love to hear from you. If there’s something you would like us to report on during the special session or just have a question about what’s going on, shoot us an email at [email protected].
On the ground: Day 2 of the Georgia special legislative session
It’s crunch time for state lawmakers tasked with meeting a Dec. 8 deadline for creating new electoral maps for the Georgia General Assembly and U.S. Congress, also known as redistricting.
Our senior investigative reporters, Tammy Joyner and Jill Jordan Sieder, are at the state Capitol for the special legislative session. Joyner is following the Senate proceedings, while Sieder is following the House proceedings. They will be your eyes and ears during the eight-day session, which means you will find a variety of stories and live updates on what’s happening inside and even outside of the Capitol.
We’d love to hear from you — our readers. If there’s something you would like us to report on during the special session or just have a question about what’s going on, shoot us an email at [email protected].
Here are some of the highlights of Thursday’s session.
Quote(s) of the day:
“Don’t take life for granted.”
— Sen. Rick Williams receives a standing ovation from his peers after conveying his ordeal getting medical help in his rural community following a Nov. 3 heart attack.
“Do the right thing here, people, it’s not that hard.”
— Community organizer Michelle Sanchez
Biggest thing that happened today:
After some heated exchange, the Senate Reapportionment & Redistricting Committee approved its proposed map, rejecting the Democrats’ plan. The 7-5 vote fell along racial and party lines, with the committee’s five Black members voting in favor of the Democratic-drawn map. Sen. Gloria Butler, who presented the Democratic plan to the committee, expressed concern about the way the process was handled regarding the two maps. The map now goes to the Senate floor.
“Yesterday [when the Republican plan was presented], the committee didn’t ask questions. Today, the committee members got to ask questions. All of the public did not get an opportunity to express themselves but they did yesterday. So in my view, that’s two processes. We need to be consistent,” said Butler.
Interesting observation inside the Capitol:
Senators arrived for the afternoon session to find two books wrapped in a bow at their chamber desk. One book was photos of the lawmakers during the 2023 session. The other book was “Unlimited” by Benny Tate. The books are an early holiday gift from Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, president of the Senate. Tate is senior pastor of Rock Springs Church in Milner, where Jones attends services.
Happening while lawmakers are in session:
Unlike Wednesday’s opening session when community activists, school children and other visitors swelled the hallways of the Capitol, Thursday’s special legislative session was rather low-key.
What’s for lunch?
Senators had a catered lunch of chicken and steak fajitas from On the Border.
— Tammy Joyner
Quote(s) of the day:
“The truth of the matter is that we have delivered a map that we’re sure complies with the judge’s order. Y’all have not. There is a remedy. If we were to look at the area south and west of Atlanta, there’s one representative that you’re trying to save, but that one representative that you save is going to cost us all in the end. If you accept our map, then one representative may be eliminated. That’s the will of the voters. If you don’t accept our map and the judge has to do a special master, then every last one of us, 180 of us, are in jeopardy. Y’all have some big decisions to make.”
— House Minority Leader James Beverly
Biggest thing that happened today:
In the House Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee meeting, Republican members rejected an alternate House district plan proposed by Democrats and the committee voted 9 – 5 along partisan lines to approve the Republican chair’s plan already submitted.
House Minority Leader James Beverly, D-Macon, and civil rights attorney Bryan Sells presented the Democrats’ proposed plan. Sells said it cures a problem in the Republicans’ plan, which “unravels or dismantles two protected coalition districts” with majority minority voters, which he said would likely cause a federal judge to find the plan in violation of the Voting Rights Act.
Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, D-Decatur, who has served in the Legislature for 25 years, told the redistricting committee she was shocked to learn her House District 82 in Dekalb County has been redrawn in a way that tears apart a growing coalition district of diverse minority communities. She called the changes a “glaring violation” of voting rights law that Judge Jones is likely to take issue with, and offered to help GOP lawmakers to remedy the plan.
Interesting observation inside the Capitol:
During their morning session House members watched a 120-second time-lapse video of the renovation work performed inside the Capitol over the summer and fall, which included painting virtually all the walls, columns and balconies in the building. After watching the blur of scaffolding, ladders and workers transform several spaces, members applauded all of the workers responsible for the transformation.
Happening while lawmakers are in session:
There was nothing of note happening outside the Capitol today.
What’s for lunch?
Members of the House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee enjoyed Jersey Mike subs today, including roast beef, turkey, Italian and club sandwiches.
— Jill Jordan Sieder
Our stories explaining what’s behind the special legislative session:
- What is a special session of the Georgia Legislature, and why is it happening?
- Legislators schedule special assembly to address redistricting, but will they make headway?
- Say what? Terms you may hear during the special session
Subscribe to State Affairs so you will have unlimited access to all of our stories.
Georgia lawmakers push for repeal of law determining where medical facilities are built
A study committee of Georgia senators took a decisive step Tuesday toward ending a longstanding and contentious law that regulates how and where new medical facilities are located in the state.
The committee’s decision centers on the 44-year-old Certificate of Need law. It was created to control health care costs and cut down on duplication of services and unnecessary expansions. It determines when, where and if hospitals need to be built. Opponents have said the law prevents competition and enables big hospitals to have a monopoly, often shutting out small and private medical outlets.
On Tuesday, the Senate Study Committee on Certificate of Need Reform effectively said the law needs to be repealed. The committee approved, in a 6-2 vote, nine recommendations.
“Based upon the testimony, research presented, and information received, the Study Committee on Certificate of Need Reform has found that the problem Georgia’s CON law was intended to combat no longer exists,” the report said.
However, the head of the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals said Tuesday that repealing the law would be a bad idea.
“It would have a devastating financial impact on hospitals and the quality and access to health care,” Monty Veazey, the alliance’s chief executive, told State Affairs.
Veazey said he has not seen the recommendations yet but his organization has sent its own set of recommendations to the senate and house study committees.
“We believe that the certificate of need really does need some modernization and we look forward to working with the committee to work through those recommendations and see if we can reach a compromise position during the upcoming legislative session,” Veazey said. “We still want to see what the House committee recommends before moving forward.”
Here’s what the senate study committee recommends, according to a draft:
- Repeal CON requirements for obstetrics services, neonatal intensive care, birth centers and all services related to maternal and neonatal care across Georgia.
- End requirements for hospital-based CON on Jan. 1, 2025.
- Reform CON laws to eliminate CON review for new and expanded inpatient psychiatric services and beds that serve Medicaid patients and the uninsured.
- Repeal all cost expenditure triggers for CON.
- All medical and surgery specialties should be considered a single specialty, including cardiology and general surgery.
- Multi-specialty centers should be allowed, particularly in rural areas.
- Remove CON for hospital bed expansion.
- Revise freestanding emergency department requirements such that they must be within 35 miles of an affiliated hospital.
- Remove CON for research centers.
The committee will present its recommendations to the Georgia General Assembly when it reconvenes in January.
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Proposed redrawn Senate maps create two new Black districts, threaten two Democrats
ATLANTA — The first step in the 2023 electoral redistricting process occurred Monday when Sen. Shelly Echols, R-Gainesville, chair of the Senate Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee, released a draft proposal of new Senate district maps.
Last month, U.S. District Judge Steve Jones ordered Georgia to redraw its state House, Senate and congressional district maps, adopted in 2021 by a majority-Republican-led Legislature, after finding they violated the Votings Rights Act by diluting the power of Black voters. The Georgia General Assembly is charged with submitting new maps to comply with Jones’ order by Dec. 8, and will be meeting in an eight-day special legislative session to do so, starting on Wednesday.
The proposed Senate maps would create two Black-majority voting districts while eliminating two white majority districts in metro Atlanta now represented by Democrats. The districts of state Sen. Elena Parent, chair of the Senate Democratic caucus, and Democratic Sen. Jason Esteves, a freshman, would become majority-Black if the redrawn maps make it through the redistricting process, a change that could invite considerably more primary challenges.
The proposed maps do not significantly alter the district lines for Sen. Valencia Seay, D-Riverdale, and Sen. Marty Harbin, R-Tyrone, whose districts Jones ruled did not comply with the Voting Rights Act. It will be up to Jones to decide if the new maps pass muster.
As it stands, the proposed Senate map will leave Republicans with a 33-23 advantage in the Senate.
On Wednesday legislators will plunge into their redistricting work during a special session at the Capitol. In addition to the state Senate maps, lawmakers must also redraw electoral maps to create Black majorities in one additional congressional district in west-metro Atlanta, and in five additional state House districts in Atlanta and the Macon-Bibb County area.
The proposed Senate maps (and all proposed maps to be submitted by legislators) are available on the Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Office’s website. Written comments can be submitted (and viewed) by the public through the portal available on the Georgia General Assembly website. Most of the reapportionment and redistricting committee’s hearings are open to the public; the daily legislative schedule is available here.
“The committee encourages public participation and values the input of the community in this vital democratic process,” Echols said in a statement released on Monday.
RELATED: Legislators will be slicing up voting districts soon after you carve your Thanksgiving turkey
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