AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – On Friday, those in the CSRA are remembering former President Jimmy Carter for his impact and ties to our area.
A professor at Augusta University discussed the legacy Carter leaves behind from the work he did while in and out of office.
Dr. William Hatcher says while Carter was not well known before becoming president, he spent a lot of time in Iowa during the time of the Iowa Caucus, gaining support there.
“That work that he did to have Egypt and Israel to have closer relations that worked really helped solidify more on a focus on what Carter had throughout his presidency. When it came to foreign policy and especially afterward with a focus on human rights that should drive the decision when it came to foreign policy, the advocacy work he did after the presidency,” said Hatcher.
Hatcher also talked about Carter’s work after office with Habitat for Humanity and the work with the Carter Center.
Carter’s impact also reaches McDuffie County and the McDuffie Museum.
We spoke to Lewis Smith, a historian in Thomson who highlighted Carter’s ties to the county.
He says relatives of the former president lived there four or five generations ago.
Smith traced the lineage of the Carters from Wrightsboro to west of Sandersville, and then eventually, moving over to Plains.
“I wanted to prove it was done so I went online and found the book written by Jeff Carter about the family and I bought a copy and read it, and it starts mentioning those things,” said Smith. “It was just something I wanted to find out for myself and for the community.”
On Thursday, Carter’s body headed back to Plains, where he will be buried next to his wife.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
