U.S. Presidents & First Ladies

Rosalynn Carter

Born in 1927, Rosalynn Smith first met Jimmy Carter through his sister Ruth. The two natives of Plains, Georgia, married in 1946. She supported Carter’s career in the Navy and as a peanut farmer before his entry into politics in 1963. As First Lady (1977–1981), Rosalynn advocated for mental health and was a close advisor to her husband. Afterward, she remained active with the Carter Center and Habitat for Humanity and founded the Institute for Caregivers in 1981. Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter were married for 77 years, a presidential record, until her passing in 2023.