Former President Jimmy Carter was recently admitted to Emory University Hospital and underwent surgery to relieve the pressure on his brain. At 95 years old, he has left a lasting legacy to be known for generations.
Carter has always been an advocate for human rights. He founded the Carter Presidential Center at Emory University, specifically for students to focus on problems of democracy and human rights. Nicknamed “a champion of human rights,” Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for advancing democracy and human rights. He did numerous things to vindicate for human rights during his presidency and even after.
One organization backed by Carter throughout his political career was Habitat for Humanity. This is an international organization that provides housing for those who can not afford it. In September of 1984, Carter took a group to New York to build houses, founding the Carter Project. Carter and his wife have been working for 35 years to help improve housing situations in many places. Since then their project has renovated and built 4,331 houses around the world. People are still able to volunteer for this project on the Habitat for Humanity website.
Kristi Crafton is the Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Quad Cities. She believes Carter’s contribution was vital in helping Habitat for Humanity become the organization it is today. “Carter had a great contribution in helping Habitat [for Humanity]. Since the Quad Cities organization was founded, we have built 118 houses in the community,” she said. There is no doubt that Carter has made a lasting impact on the Quad Cities.
Rosalynn Carter was just as passionate about human rights as her husband. In 1982, Carter founded the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia for the advocacy for human rights and the alleviation of human suffering. Although the Carter Center is in Atlanta, they have a focus on helping individuals around the entire world. In October of 2019, the Carter Center sent a team of more than 90 people to Tunisia to make sure they had a proper democratic election. The reach of Carter’s legacy travels all over the globe.
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter have created a legacy for themselves even after leaving the White House. Through their passion for human rights and democracy, the Carters want to make sure their vision is continued for years.
