Former United States President Jimmy Carter passed away on Dec. 29 at the age of 100. Following the death of the nation’s 39th and longest lived president, President Joe Biden declared Jan. 9, the day of Carter’s funeral, as the national mourning day for Carter.
National days of mourning pay respect to renowned public figures who have died, and they are most commonly bestowed upon U.S. Presidents, according to USA Today. George H.W. Bush was the most recent president to be honored with a national day of mourning, after his death in 2018. The national mourning day tradition started in 1865, with a one-day government shutdown six weeks after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, according to The New York Times.
“If you think about Carter’s life, if you were to look at his home, it’s a very modest home,” American history teacher James Ferrel said. “He comes from humble backgrounds. He was a peanut farmer most of his life before entering politics. He’s a pretty well educated person, has held pretty powerful jobs, but yet, if you were to talk to him in the streets, you’d think, ‘Oh, this is just somebody’s grandpa,’ or ‘this is somebody’s father.’”
During his presidency, Carter negotiated several foreign policy agreements while confronting economic challenges like high inflation. Carter is infamously known for his interventions in Afghanistan against the U.S.S.R. amidst the Cold War, which ultimately led to instability and conflict in the region, according to Washington Monthly.
Carter remained active post presidency and was often seen on television campaigning human rights. Carter founded the Carter Presidential Center at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, a center devoted to issues related to democracy and human rights.
Carter worked with Habitat for Humanity International to provide housing for underprivileged people throughout his 90s, showing up to a Nashville work site when he had sustained injuries the day prior. Even when it was physically unsafe for Carter to be helping, Habitat for Humanity was a commitment Carter held up for decades, according to CBS News.
All living presidents were in attendance at Carter’s funeral. All federal agencies were closed for the national mourning day, and many businesses and services were suspended Jan. 9 to honor the legacy of Carter. Habitat for Humanity will soon be celebrating President Carter’s life of service with local observances and to learn more, visit habitat.org.
