Carter, Jimmy (James Earl), Jr

Carter, Jimmy (James Earl), Jr (1924) 39th US president (1977–81). Carter was a Democrat senator (1962–66) and governor (1971–74) for the state of Georgia. In 1976 he defeated the incumbent President Gerald Ford. Carter had a number of foreign policy successes, such as the negotiation of the Camp David Accord (1979). These were overshadowed, however, by the disastrous attempt to free US hostages in Iran (April 1980). Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Carter backed a US boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Events in Iran fuelled domestic problems. An oil price rise contributed to spiralling inflation, which was dampened only by a large increase in interest rates. In the 1980 presidential elections, Carter was easily defeated by Ronald Reagan. He subsequently worked to promote human rights and acted as an international peace broker. In 2002 he received the Nobel Peace Prize.

http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.org; http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents