Honoring Jimmy Carter: Former president was champion for human rights and democracy

President Carter was an unparalleled force for peace and justice. As president of the United States, he was the first to make human rights a centerpiece of his foreign policy and the first to prioritize diverse representation on our federal courts. Even when it made him unpopular, he led with his values — and with fierce conviction that America could always be better, especially for those who, for too long, had been left behind.

After his term in office, President Carter continued to place human lives and human rights above all else. Amid tumult and hyper-partisanship, Carter never wavered in his mission to spread democracy — and to inspire hope for a multiracial, inclusive future for us all. Through the Carter Center and Habitat for Humanity, he carried on his work to support the development of affordable housing, expand health care access and defend free and fair elections.

I am grateful that President Carter never let the naysayers or the political pundits deter his resolve to do what was right. Our country needs more leaders like him, especially leaders from the South who understand our history and recognize that our rights and freedom are bound together.

Our hearts are with the Carter family, and we join with people across Georgia and the nation in mourning the loss of this lifelong public servant and champion for human rights. In his honor, we must all do our part to preserve and strengthen human rights at home and abroad.

Picture at top: Former President Jimmy Carter during an appearance at the 2008 Hay Festival in Wales. Carter served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. He died on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, at the age of 100. (Credit: Jeff Morgan/Alamy)