Jimmy Carter’s legacy lives on in Indiana, impacting Hoosiers in multiple ways
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Former Pres. Jimmy Carter left an insurmountable impact on the American people, including Hoosiers.
Carter died at his home in Plains, Georgia on Sunday. He was 100 years old.
The one term president entered the White House in 1977, promising he would be a commander in chief marked by compassion.
“He was known internationally for his work in bringing peace, eradicating tropical diseases, a whole world of humanitarian relief projects,” Indiana University Law Professor Jody Madeira said.
Though his time in office was short, he focused on eliminating segregation, increasing public health, and broadening American interests abroad.
Madeira said his work across the glob is difficult to measure.
“He was also known for a lot of peace initiatives while he was in office…the Camp David Accords, the second round of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks and the Panama Canal Treaties,” Madeira said.
Back in the Midwest, Carter’s time in office came at a moment Hoosiers were eager to know how the United States’ relationship with allies, and foreign adversaries, could impact their day-to-day lives.
At the time, the region was considered a bellwether of stability following World War II and in the 1970s.
Indiana University Indianapolis History Professor and Director of American Studies Raymond Haberski says Carter’s decisions in those four years still impact us today and may have changed the trajectory for Indiana.
“He is known for the rise of globalization and the way that things became increasingly interconnected, especially after the Vietnam war,” Haberski said. “So, what happens to manufacturing in the Midwest? What happens to inflation, the price of gasoline? Things like that. But, all those things happen under Carter, and he was really the first president to begin to grapple with issues that affected people … in regions of the country that had been fairly stable.”
Each one of those topics permeate politics today, even in Indiana. But, it’s Carter’s life after the White House that he is remembered for.
“President Jimmy Carter is known as a very, very pivotal figure for Habitat for Humanity,” Madeira said. “He was a huge supporter. Ae also traveled extensively for peace negotiations around the world. He monitored elections around the world to ensure that they were full and fair and people were not disenfranchised. He actually had a third public health related venture, which is eliminating tropical diseases.”
Each one of those endeavors was felt in the Hoosier state, and continue to be.
“You know we are bold and sort of brave as Hoosiers,” Madeira said. “We do innovative things, and I think that is something that we have in common.”