ATLANTA, GA — The 39th U.S. president is turning 99-years-old soon, and supporters now have a way to send their birthday wishes.
Former President Jimmy Carter will be celebrating his 99th birthday on Oct. 11, and the public can work together to build an interactive mosaic that features a photograph of Carter.
“Our mosaic project is a symbolic way to show how we all play a part in President Carter’s remarkable legacy of service to humanity,” the Carter Center said on its website.
People can share their birthday greetings, memories or messages with two options.
Residents can click the “send a message” button on The Carter Center’s website, adding a favorite photo and sharing the message. People can also share an appropriate photo or video of themselves with a favorite place, quote or piece of original art.
“Together, let’s create a mosaic of images that reflect his incredible life and legacy — and celebrate his 99 years. We can’t wait to see your contributions,” The Carter Center said.
The Carter Center prepared a birthday video, featured on its website.
Georgia Native Becomes President
Carter was born on Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains, to farmer and businessman James Earl Carter Sr. and registered nurse Lillian Gordy Carter, according to his biography.
He attended Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology, later receiving a bachelor of science degree in 1946 from the U.S. Naval Academy.
“In the Navy, he became a submariner, serving in both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets and rising to the rank of lieutenant. Chosen by Admiral Hyman Rickover for the nuclear submarine program, he was assigned to Schenectady, New York, where he took graduate work at Union College in reactor technology and nuclear physics and served as senior officer of the pre-commissioning crew of the Seawolf, the second nuclear submarine,” his biography said.
Carter founded The Carter Center in Atlanta alongside wife Rosalynn, who he married on July 7, 1946. Shortly after he retired from the Navy, the couple returned to Georgia to oversee the Carter farms and Carter’s Warehouse in Plains.
“He quickly became a leader of the community, serving on county boards supervising education, the hospital authority and the library. In 1962, he won election to the Georgia Senate. He lost his first gubernatorial campaign in 1966, but won the next election, becoming Georgia’s 76th governor on Jan. 12, 1971. He was the Democratic National Committee campaign chairman for the 1974 congressional and gubernatorial elections.”
Thereafter, on Nov. 6, 1976, Carter was elected to serve as the 39th president from Jan. 20, 1977, to Jan. 20, 1981.
Attorney Jason Carter, chairman of The Carter Center’s Board of Trustees, told USA Today that the Carters are “coming to an end” but remain “in love.”
