First Lady of the United States
Category: First Ladies
Start: 1927-08-18 · End: 2023-11-19
Location: United States
Eleanor Rosalynn Carter, born Rosalynn Smith on August 18, 1927, in Plains, Georgia, was a pivotal figure in American public life for over half a century. Her journey from small-town Southern life to the global stage as First Lady of the United States and, subsequently, a tireless humanitarian, marked her as a woman of profound substance, resilience, and compassion. Throughout her extensive public service, from 1977 to 1981 as First Lady and for decades beyond, she distinguished herself as a leading advocate for women's rights, mental health, and a variety of global humanitarian causes, leaving an indelible mark on American society and international policy. Rosalynn Smith’s early life in Plains was characterized by a strong work ethic and a deep sense of community, values instilled by her parents, Wilburn Edgar Smith, a farmer, automobile mechanic, and bus driver, and Allethea Murray Smith, a dressmaker. Her childhood, though shaped by the deprivations of the Great Depression, was stable until a tragic turning point at age thirteen when her father died of leukemia. This profound loss thrust young Rosalynn into a role of increased responsibility, assisting her mother with childcare…
There is no single, undeniably most famous quote by Rosalynn Carter that meets the criteria of being as widely recognized as, for example, a presidential quote. While she was a prolific advocate and speaker, her impactful words are often found within longer speeches or writings, rather than short, punchy, universally cited quips. NO_QUOTE