Oral history interview with President Jimmy Carter, 1993 May 4

@ University of West Georgia. Special Collections

Description

James Earl "Jimmy" Carter was born in the small Georgia town of Plains on October 1, 1924. His family was solidly middle class and he attended local schools before an appointment to the United States Military Academy. He graduated in 1946 and served in the Navy until his father's 1953 death brought him home to run the family farm and business. Carter immediately got involved in civic and political affairs, and was elected to the state senate in 1962 as a Democrat. He ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1966, but won in 1970 and was seen as one of a group of more moderate Southern governors. In 1976, he ran for president as a Washington outsider and won a close election over President Gerald Ford. After one term plagued by a poor economy, controversy over the Panama Canal Treaty, and the Iran Hostage Crisis, Carter lost by a large margin to Ronald Reagan. The Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt are probably the greatest achievement of Carter's presidency, and much of his life since has been devoted to foreign policy and human rights issues. In 1982 he established the Carter Center in Atlanta to work on these issues and currently lives in Plains with his wife of over 60 years, Rosalynn.; This interview takes place in an unmentioned location with Dr. Mel Steely on May 4, 1993.; The interview begins with a discussion on Carter's actions in the 1966 election and his relationship with Bo Calloway and Lester Maddox....

Type:

Video

Contributors:

Steely, MelBindiss, KenNo, KenHurt, JimUniversity of West Georgia. Georgia Political Papers and Oral History Program