Growing up as a young girl in northern New Mexico and learning U.S. history in our school system was a prideful time spent.
Young memories of celebrating President’s Day honoring the ‘I chopped down the cherry tree’ President George Washington and the ‘honest Abe’ President Abraham Lincoln gave us a reason to revere the highest office in the land.
We admired the young popular President John F. Kennedy as television covered his short time in office and then was tragically assassinated in November of 1961. Most boomers know exactly know where they were on that fateful day.
As I grew into adulthood the highest office in the country housed many presidents, like Lyndon B. Johnson of Civil Rights fame, who was sworn in after Kennedy’s death. President Richard M. Nixon resigned after corruption, coverups and the Watergate scandal. Ronald Reagan a movie star turned president, demanded that Soviet Union leader Gorbachev Tear down that wall’ served the country for two terms.
A few decades later, a feeling of diversity and fairness followed when the first Black American elected U.S. president in 2008 for two terms, President Barack Obama.
All in all presidents have been labeled in history as winners or losers based on their achievements and legacy. But only one U.S. president stands alone as a remarkable post U.S. president, President Jimmy Carter.
A peanut farmer by trade and a Sunday school teacher turned president whose ethics compassion, integrity and helping his neighbor, ruled his life.
His presidency is reported by historians as mediocre. Unfairly underestimated due to the woes of the day like inflation and foreign policy, Carter wins the humanitarian award of the century.
Former President Jimmy Carter achieved in 100 years what no other U.S, president has achieved, 100 years of a life full of purpose and humanity. He was a true Christian, the most Christ-like in his actions president we will ever know.
