The US Postal Service has immortalized a century of service with a new Forever stamp honouring Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States. Unveiled on August 16 at the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, the stamp features a 1982 oil-on-linen portrait by Herbert E. Abrams, originally painted as a life study for Carter’s White House portrait. The release marks more than a tribute to a former president; it celebrates a life devoted to public service, diplomacy, and global humanitarian work that extended far beyond the Oval Office. The stamp, priced at the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce rate, will be available from October 1.Carter, who passed away on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100, is remembered for a presidency defined by ambition and idealism. From brokering the Camp David Accords to signing the SALT II treaty with the Soviet Union and normalizing relations with China, Carter sought to reshape US foreign policy with principle-driven diplomacy. Domestically, he championed energy reform, created a federal mental health commission, and expanded the National Park System, leaving a footprint of civic responsibility. Yet it was in the decades after leaving office, through the Carter Center, Nobel Peace Prize-winning work, and advocacy for democracy and health worldwide, that Carter’s enduring influence truly took hold.
Roots in plains: The making of a statesman
Before Carter became a global figure, he was a boy of the Deep South, growing up amid the dusty roads and peanut fields of Plains, Georgia. Born on October 1, 1924, to Bessie Lillian Gordy and James Earl Carter Sr., he was the eldest of four children. From an early age, Carter learned responsibility and enterprise, tending his own acre of peanuts and managing tenant housing on his family farm. These experiences were lessons in pragmatism and leadership, shaping a young mind that combined curiosity with a sense of duty.At Plains High School, Carter’s diligence and intellectual curiosity became evident. He was an avid reader, a basketball player, and a member of Future Farmers of America, where he discovered a passion for woodworking. His academic drive led him first to Georgia Southwestern College and then to Georgia Tech, where he pursued engineering studies and joined the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. Mentored by civil rights advocate Blake Van Leer, Carter seized an opportunity that would define his trajectory: An appointment to the United States Naval Academy in 1943.
An academy of discipline and determination
Annapolis tested both intellect and character. Carter, known for his quiet resolve, navigated the academy’s rigorous culture with focus and persistence. He excelled academically, graduating 60th out of 821 midshipmen in 1946 with a Bachelor of Science, while also shining as a sprint football player and cross-country runner. It was here that he met Rosalynn Smith, his future wife and lifelong partner in both love and service. These formative years instilled the discipline, resilience, and strategic thinking that would later define his political and humanitarian career.
From local politics to global impact
After serving briefly in the Navy and returning to Plains to manage the family farm, Carter entered politics, serving as a Georgia state senator and later governor. In 1976, he emerged as a political dark horse, securing the Democratic nomination and narrowly defeating incumbent Gerald Ford to become president. Though his presidency faced domestic and international challenges, Carter’s post-presidential years redefined the role of a former president. Through the Carter Center, he negotiated peace, monitored elections, fought neglected diseases, and advocated tirelessly for human rights. His work earned him the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, cementing a legacy that transcended party lines and electoral politics.
A stamp, a legacy, a century of service
The USPS stamp does more than commemorate a man; it tells a story of a life that bridged local roots and global influence, modest beginnings and historic achievements. From the peanut fields of Plains to Nobel laureate recognition, Carter’s journey reflects an enduring commitment to civic duty, moral courage, and quiet perseverance. As Americans place the stamp on letters and postcards, they carry not just a portrait but a century-long testament to leadership that blended principle, compassion, and vision.
