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Eleanor Rosalynn Smith was born August 18, 1927 in Plains, Georgia, the daughter of Allie Murray Smith and Edgar Smith. She grew up in Plains and was a friend of her classmate and sister of Jimmy Carter, Ruth Carter. When Jimmy was home from the Naval Academy in the summer of 1945, he had a date with his sister's friend. Upon returning, his mother asked him how he liked Rosalynn. "She's the girl I want to marry was his reply." Shortly after his graduation from the Naval Academy, they were married on July 7, 1946 in the Plains Methodist church.
Jimmy Carter was in the United States Navy for the early part of their married life. They lived first in Norfolk, Virginia, and then New London, Connecticut, San Diego, California, Honolulu, Hawaii and Schenectady, New York. During this time their three sons were born: John William (Jack) in Portsmouth, VA, July 3, 1947; James Earl III (Chip) in Honolulu, HI, April 12, 1950; and Donnel Jeffrey August 18, 1952 in New London, CT.
When Jimmy's father died in 1953, the family moved back to Plains to run the family business. For the first year they lived in public housing, and Jimmy Carter ran the warehouse and Rosalynn Carter kept the books. While in Plains the couple's only daughter, Amy Lynn, was born (October 19, 1967).
Since 1962, the year Jimmy was elected state Senator, she has been active in political life. As first lady of Georgia, Rosalynn was appointed to the Governor's Commission to Improve Services for the Mentally and Emotionally Handicapped. The Commission presented recommendations to Governor Carter, many of which were ultimately passed into law. She also served as a volunteer at the Georgia Regional Hospital in Atlanta and for five years was honorary chairperson for the Georgia Special Olympics for Retarded Children.
In January 1975, when his gubernatorial term was over, Mr. Carter, along with Rosalynn and Amy, went back to Plains. He had already announced his plans to run for President of the United States. Rosalynn returned to the campaign trail, this time in a national quest for support for her husband. She campaigned alone on his behalf in 41 states.
While she was campaigning across the country, Rosalynn was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Association of Mental Health; she was honored by the National Organization for Women with an Award of Merit for her vigorous support of the Equal Rights Amendment; and she received the Volunteer of the Year Award from the Southwestern Association of Volunteer Services.
During her years in the White House, Rosalynn was honored by many organizations and received numerous awards. She served as honorary chair of the President's Commission on Mental Health, the work of which resulted in the passage of the Mental Health Systems Act. She was named the Volunteer of the Decade by the National Mental Health Association. Rosalynn also received two honorary degrees as First Lady: a Doctor of Humanities degree from Tift College, and a Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Morehouse College.
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The Life of Jimmy Carter
Life Beyond the White House
