Carter '47 embodied the mission of the United States Naval Academy. He served his country as a submarine officer, his home state as governor, his nation as president, and the world as a model for lifelong service.
Jimmy Carter died 29 December 2024. He leaves a lasting legacy of inspirational leadership, said President & CEO of the USNA Alumni Association and Foundation Jeff Webb ’95. "We are saddened to hear of the passing of President Jimmy Carter, Class of 1947. As our sole alumnus who has served as the President of the United States, President Carter served the U.S. Navy, the state of Georgia, and the United States faithfully and honorably,” Webb said. “President Carter was known for his commitment to his faith, family, and many charitable and humanitarian pursuits. We send our condolences to the Carter family as we honor the legacy left by President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn.”
Charm, Conviction and, Yes, Controversy
Shipmate, January-February 2015
Not content to live the life of a quiet and benign elder statesman, former President Jimmy Carter ’47 founded an activist organization firmly rooted in scholarly research. At The Carter Center, he is intimately involved with day-to-day operations and spends at least one week each month at the headquarters in Atlanta, GA. In the week Shipmate visited the Center, the 90-year-old Carter had just returned from a 10-day trip to Beijing, Qingdao, Xian, and Shanghai, China; was on tap to meet with students at Emory University for the 33rd Annual Town Hall, where he is a distinguished professor; was scheduled to speak with guests at the Center at “A Conversation with the Carters” event; and attended the Atlanta Falcons game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. READ MORE
Distinguished Graduate
The U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation announced four outstanding Naval Academy graduates to receive the 2002 Distinguished Graduate Award, one of whom was The Honorable James E. Carter Jr. Class of 1947, the 39th President of the United States.
Jimmy Carter grew up in Plains, Georgia, with an appreciation for the land and an interest in the world around him. After briefly attending college, Jimmy entered the U.S. Naval Academy in the Class of 1947. At the Academy, he was a gifted student and was always ready to help his classmates with their studies. The Lucky Bag predicted he would be remembered for his “cheerful disposition and ability to see the humorous side of any situation.” After graduation in 1946 (his class graduated early to support the Fleet after World War II), Jimmy married Rosalynn Smith. He then served as a submarine officer in both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets. Carter was chosen by Admiral Hyman Rickover for the nuclear submarine program and completed graduate work in reactor technology and nuclear physics. He served as senior officer of the pre-commissioning crew of the Seawolf. After his father’s death, Jimmy Carter returned home to Plains to run the family business and quickly became a community leader. He was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 1962 and governor in 1970. In 1976 he was elected President of the United States, working for peace in the Middle East and pushing for economic deregulation at home. In 1982, the former President established The Carter Center, addressing national and international issues of public policy. Under his leadership, the Center works to resolve conflict, promote democracy, protect human rights, and prevent disease and other afflictions. Through the Global 2000 program, the Center advances health and agriculture in the developing world.
“Jimmy’s many friends will remember him for his cheerful disposition and his ability to see the humorous side of any situation.”
–The USNA's 1947 Lucky Bag