Life and times of Jimmy Carter --------------------------------- Oct 1, 1924: James Earl Carter Jr. born in Plains, Georgia, to Earl Carter, businessman and peanut farmer, and registered nurse Bessie Lillian Gordy – deeply religious Southern Baptists --------------------------------- 1946: Carter graduates from U.S. Naval Academy, and marries Eleanor Rosalynn Smith. Navy assigns Carter to work on submarines --------------------------------- 1953: After death of his father Carter abandons career in new nuclear submarine programme to take control of family farm, successfully revitalising business --------------------------------- 1962: After experience in local politics, wins election as Democrat senator for state of Georgia --------------------------------- 1970: Becomes governor of Georgia at second attempt, and proceeds to work for end to segregation in state --------------------------------- 1976: Runs for president as Washington outsider, with slogan “Trust Me”. Defeats Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who assumed presidency in 1974 when Richard Nixon resigned over Watergate scandal --------------------------------- Jan 20, 1977: Carter sworn in as 39th President of the United States. After inauguration, he is first president to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue from Capitol to White House Initial popularity dissipates as he fails to persuade Americans to accept austerity measures amid high inflation, rising unemployment, oil shortages and slow economic growth of late 1970s --------------------------------- Sep 1978: High point of presidency occurs when Carter brings together Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Camp David Accords end 31-year state of war between Egypt and Israel --------------------------------- Jun 1979: Carter and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev sign SALT II agreement on nuclear arms non-proliferation, honoured by both sides until 1986 --------------------------------- Nov 1979: Iranian students storm U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking 66 Americans hostage. Carter’s inability to negotiate release of hostages – worsened by badly botched rescue mission – becomes major political liability --------------------------------- Dec: Soviet forces invade Afghanistan. U.S. boycott of 1980 Moscow Olympics fails to win enough international support to get them cancelled --------------------------------- 1980: Carter suffers crushing election defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan --------------------------------- Jan 20, 1981: Within minutes of Reagan’s inauguration, all 52 remaining U.S. hostages held in Iran are released --------------------------------- 1982: Former president founds Carter Center in Georgia to foster peace and democracy, protect human rights and improve health care in developing nations --------------------------------- 1984: Carters raise awareness of homelessness by helping to build houses for non-profit group Habitat for Humanity --------------------------------- 1986: Carter Center spearheads efforts to eradicate Guinea worm disease, which affects over three million people in 21 countries, and tackle river blindness --------------------------------- 1994: Carter is first former U.S. president to visit North Korea. He persuades leader Kim Il Sung to open discussions with South Korea and agree aid-for- disarmament deal --------------------------------- 1999: Carter and Rosalynn both awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom – highest U.S. civilian honour --------------------------------- May 2002: Becomes highest- ranking American official to visit Cuba since Fidel Castro seized power in 1959 revolution --------------------------------- Oct: Awarded Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to promote democracy, human rights and peaceful conflict resolution --------------------------------- 2015: Carter treated for cancer in liver and brain. Following four-month treatment, medical scans no longer show any signs of cancer --------------------------------- Mar 2019: Six months before his 95th birthday Carter surpasses George H. W. Bush to become longest-living U.S. president --------------------------------- Nov: Carter undergoes surgery to relieve pressure on brain following recent falls --------------------------------- Sources: Jimmy Carter Library, Encyclopedia Britannica Pictures: Associated Press, Newscom, Getty Images, USAF © GRAPHIC NEWS 538 words