TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES:

It is my solemn duty to announce officially the death of James Earl Carter, Jr., the thirty-ninth President of the United States, on December 29, 2024.

President Carter was a man of character, courage, and compassion, whose lifetime of service defined him as one of the most influential statesmen in our history. He embodied the very best of America: A humble servant of God and the people. A heroic champion of global peace and human rights, and an honorable leader whose moral clarity and hopeful vision lifted our Nation and changed our world.

The son of a farmer and a nurse, President Carter’s remarkable career in public service began in 1943 as a cadet at the United States Naval Academy. He later served in both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets before becoming a decorated lieutenant and being selected to join the elite nuclear submarine program.

After his father died, he shifted from active duty to the Navy Reserve and returned home to Plains, Georgia, to help manage his family’s peanut farm. He worked hard stewarding the land while leading his community as a church deacon, Sunday school teacher, and board member of a hospital and library. His deep faith inspired a passion for public service that led him to be elected State Senator, Georgia’s 76th Governor, and ultimately President of the United States.

As President, he understood that Government must be as good as its people — and his faith in the people was boundless just as his belief in America was limitless and his hope for our common future was perennial.

With President Carter’s leadership, the modern Department of Education and the Department of Energy were created. He championed conservation, and his commitment to a more just world was at the heart of his foreign policy, leading on nuclear nonproliferation, signing the Panama Canal treaties, and mediating the historic 1978 Camp David Accords. His partnership with Vice President Walter Mondale is one that future administrations strived to achieve.

Following his Presidency, President Carter advanced an agenda that elevated the least among us. Guided by an unwavering belief in the power of human goodness and the God‑given dignity of every human being, he worked tirelessly around the globe to broker peace; eradicate disease; house the homeless; and protect human rights, freedom, and democracy.

Through his extraordinary moral leadership, President Carter lived a noble life full of meaning and purpose. And as a trusted spiritual leader, he shepherded people through seasons of pain and joy, inspiring them through the power of his example and healing them through the power of his guidance.

As we mourn the loss of President Carter, we hold the memory of his beloved Rosalynn, his wife of over 77 years, close in our hearts. Exemplifying hope, warmth, and service, she and her husband inspired the Nation. The love Rosalynn and President Carter shared is the definition of partnership, and their devotion to public service is the definition of patriotism.

May President Carter’s memory continue to be a light pointing us forward. May we continue to be guided by his spirit in our Nation and in our world.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, in honor and tribute to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr., and as an expression of public sorrow, do hereby direct that the flag of the United States be displayed at half-staff at the White House and on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions for a period of 30 days from the day of his death. I also direct that, for the same length of time, the representatives of the United States in foreign countries shall make similar arrangements for the display of the flag at half‑staff over their embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

I hereby order that suitable honors be rendered by units of the Armed Forces under orders of the Secretary of Defense.

I do further appoint January 9, 2025, as a National Day of Mourning throughout the United States. I call on the American people to assemble on that day in their respective places of worship, there to pay homage to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr. I invite the people of the world who share our grief to join us in this solemn observance.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

15 Interesting Facts about Former President Jimmy Carter

1. At age 28 then Lieut. Carter was involved with development of the first nuclear submarine and cleanup of a damaged research reactor.
2. Carter establishment the Department of Education and Department of Energy.
3. Carter installed solar panels on the White House roof in an effort to promote renewable energy.
4. Carter was known for carrying his own luggage and refusing to use the presidential limousine, instead opting to walk or ride in a golf cart.
5. Carter oversaw creation of the Superfund program, designed to clean up toxic waste sites across the United States.
6. Carter was an early proponent of human rights and made it a priority of his foreign policy.
7. Carter was a vocal opponent of apartheid in South Africa 
8. After leaving office, Carter became a professor at Emory University in Atlanta.
9. In 1984, Carter co-founded Habitat for Humanity, an organization that helps build affordable housing for low-income families.
10. Carter has traveled extensively as a humanitarian, visiting more than 145 countries in his post-presidential career.
11. Carter is a skilled woodworker and has even built furniture for his family.
12. Carter is a prolific author, having written over 30 books since leaving office.
13. Carter is an avid runner and has completed several marathons.
14. Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his work in promoting democracy and human rights. 
15. Carter is a skilled sailor and has sailed in several ocean races. 

A few more interesting facts

1. Jimmy Carter was the first president to be born in a hospital.
2. Carter is distantly related to the infamous outlaw Jesse James.
3. Carter was a peanut farmer before entering politics. He even had his own brand of peanut butter called "Jimmy Carter's Plains, Georgia Peanut Butter.”
4. Jimmy Carter had a brief stint as a model during his time in the Navy, posing for ads in magazines like Ebony and Esquire.
5. In 1979, Carter took part in a charity boxing match against a professional fighter, winning by a technical knockout.
6. Carter was the first president to have his inauguration televised live.
7. Carter once wrote a letter to Elvis Presley, thanking him for his support of his campaign and inviting him to the White House.


American Flags Express recommended reading: 

• Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter: power and human rights, 1975-2020,  E Stanley Godbold, author & historian