Remembering Rosalynn Carter: A Tribute to a First Lady

Rosalynn Carter, who passed away at 96, was the wife of President Jimmy Carter and a champion for mental health. A small-town woman, she went to the White House, travelled, and advocated for human rights. Rosalynn was known for increasing childhood immunizations, mental health care access and battling gender inequality. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” President Carter said. In her husband’s term, Rosalynn attended cabinet meetings, served as an emissary to Latin American countries and was honorary chair of the President’s Commission on Mental Health. Born Eleanor Rosalynn Smith in Plains, Ga., she unknowingly met her future husband, and had a blossoming relationship. Despite early tension, they ultimately became fuller partners through the years. After Jimmy’s presidency, she continued to work to reduce stigma around mental illness and served as vice chair of the Carter Center in Atlanta. She and Jimmy returned home to Plains, raising their children. She said of Jimmy, “He has always thought I could do anything, and because of that, we have had some wonderful adventures.”