Born in Plains, Georgia, on October 1, 1924, James Earl Carter Jr.’s story is one of humility and a lifetime commitment to helping others. Though raised in a successful business family, he chose public service and made his mark in the military, the presidency, and life afterward.

Raised in Plains, Georgia, by his mother Bessie Lilian, a nurse, and father James Earl Carter Sr., a businessman, Carter attended a nearby high school from 1937 to 1941, laying the groundwork for his career.

As his father had done in the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps, Carter enrolled in the Naval Academy in 1943. Here he met Rosalynn, his future wife, whose enduring relationship is described in “What Makes a Marriage Last.”

Carter graduated from Naval Academy in 1946, and the couple put their family and their peanut company first. Carter refused to utilize his position as president to his advantage and continued to live a simple life in a ranch-style home he constructed in 1961.

“It just never had been my ambition to be rich,” Carter said, setting him apart from others who pursued money after leaving office. Living simply and realistically, he shopped locally and used commercial flights.

James Earl Carter Jr. left behind a modest, dedicated, and humble legacy that serves as a reminder that real devotion goes beyond position and influence.