POLITICS
What was Rosalynn Carter’s role as First Lady during her husband’s presidency?
Rosalynn Carter’s active roll in the White House during the tenure of her husband... a look back at that time.
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter has passed away at the age of ninety-six. Her family and friends mourn the loss, which comes just a few short months after the Carter Center announced that she had been diagnosed with dementia.
The Carters, both natives of Plains, Georgia, married in 1946, a few decades before entering the White House.
During the presidential inaugural ball in January 1977, Rosalynn wore the same dress that she had debuted at the Atlanta ball six years earlier to celebrate her husband becoming governor.
Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter take Washington
While serving as first lady, Rosalynn believed it was crucial to stay informed about her husband’s policies so she could effectively promote them during her travels across the country.
“I was there to be informed so that when I traveled across the country, which I did a great deal, and was questioned by the press and other individuals about all areas of government, I’d know what was going on.”
She was known to sit in on cabinet meetings and was a staunch supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment, which eventually failed to be ratified. President Carter appreciated the partnership offered by his wife, and that respect is reflected in the words released after her passing. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished [...] she gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me,” reads the statement from the former president released by the Carter Center.
As the First Lady, she championed mental health advocacy and raising awareness long before it was normalized to talk about these types of struggles. Internationally, she would also form part of delegations to other countries, including trips to Latin America and Asia, where she attended meetings focused on human rights and refugee resettlement.
Work after their time in the White House
Presidnet Carter’s tenure in the White House only lasted four years, and much of what the couple has accomplished occurred after these years. The work of the Carter Center has long been recognized as monumental in the fight to eradicate disease, improve sanitation, and build housing. After her passing, her son made tribute to her as a “great humanitarian,” adding that “her life of service and compassion was an example for all Americans.”