Remembering former President Jimmy Carter and his impact on Chicago
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Local tributes poured in from Chicago on Sunday for former President Jimmy Carter.
Carter "died peacefully Sunday, Dec. 29, at his home in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family," the Carter Center said in a statement.
Carter visited Chicago numerous times during his campaign for president in 1976, as president between 1977 and 1981, and after he left office—particularly in his efforts to build homes for Habitat for Humanity.
In 1976, Carter found an ally in former Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley in his campaign. That summer, Carter flew to Chicago for a fundraiser where he was met by the senior Mayor Daley at O'Hare International Airport.
Carter was then escorted to the Blackstone Hotel on Michigan Avenue, where he was met by a crowd of thousands.
Mayor Daley Sr. lived to see Carter win the 1976 election, but the mayor died Dec. 20, 1976, a month before Carter took office.
Among Carter's visits to Chicago as president was a stop on Nov. 2, 1978, in which he met with Mayor Michael Bilandic, and also campaigned for U.S. Rep. Abner Mikva (D-Illinois) at Niles East High School in Skokie.
On Oct. 16, 1979, Carter returned to Chicago during his campaign for a second term—speaking to a town hall at Thornridge High School in Dolton. Carter also spoke to reporters alongside Mayor Jane Byrne that day—having spoken at a fundraising dinner for Byrne the night before as he courted her endorsement.
Byrne had suggested she would be supporting Carter in his campaign for reelection—only for Byrne and the Cook County Democratic Party to go on to endorse U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) for the 1980 Democratic presidential primary.
In addressing the news media on Oct. 29, 1979—two days after endorsing Kennedy—Byrne was not concerned that she had led President Carter to believe she would endorse him.
"I believe that President Carter, as I stated the night of my dinner, has tried for the citizens," Byrne said on that occasion. "I think it came a little bit late. I think he realized that, and he tried to show up fast. But I don't think, in reality, it really changed that much."
Carter still won the 1980 Illinois Democratic primary, only to lose the general election to President Ronald Reagan.
In July 1986, Carter returned to Chicago to build houses in the West Garfield Park neighborhood for Habitat for Humanity, alongside his wife Rosalynn Carter. Bill Kurtis was embedded with the effort for Channel 2 News as the Carters built a four-unit townhome at the corner of Maypole and Kildare avenues.
The Carters lived in the Guyton Hotel in West Garfield Park until the project was complete.
Chicago and Illinois officials honor Carter's memory
On Sunday afternoon, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) released this statement about Carter:
"Jimmy Carter proved that excellence in public service can extend beyond the White House. His life was an inspiration to those of us who aspire to lead a life of service.
"I offer my condolences to the entire Carter family, to his friends and former staff members, and to the untold millions of people throughout the world whose lives are better because Jimmy Carter lived."
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) wrote of Carter: "From his humble beginnings as a peanut farmer to a Navy Veteran, then Governor, President of the United States and Nobel Peace Prize winner, President Carter lived a long life of service to our nation. A legacy we will never forget. May he rest in peace."
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker wrote:
"President Jimmy Carter truly exemplified what it meant to live a life full of service. His towering legacy of compassion for others set a standard that will always be remembered. My deepest condolences to the Carter family and their loved ones. May his memory be a blessing."
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also issued a statement:
"President Jimmy Carter lived the American dream in every way. His legacy of love and his service to God and country are admirable beyond measure. President Carter valiantly fought for human rights and peace across the world during his presidency and beyond. He continued to serve our country with honor after his presidency by dedicating his retirement to building affordable housing and empowering others to value service and care for our neighbors. President Carter was a personal inspiration to me, as a man of deep faith in the political arena, and his values remain a north star to guiding us all. We can all take comfort that he is with his beloved wife Rosalynn and in peace."
U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Illinois) lauded Carter for his achievements both in office and after his term:
"Jimmy Carter was a good president but, more importantly, a good man. During his time in office, he championed environmental justice and helped orchestrate the Camp David Accords, brokering a peace between Israel and Egypt that endures to his day and helping ensure the survival of the state of Israel.
"Yet his greatest accomplishments came after his presidency. While his electoral defeat may have crushed a lesser man, President Carter only redoubled his efforts to serve the public, becoming in the process the greatest former president our nation has ever known. His work, alongside former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, at the Carter Center, with Habitat for Humanity, and his successful two-decade-long effort to eradicate the guinea worm made him the epitome of a public servant. Those of us in elected office should look to President Carter's example as a model for what we aspire to after leaving office.
"My deepest condolences are with President Carter's family and with those around the world who are mourning the loss of this great man."
U.S. Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García echoed Quigley's statement:
"Today we lost a giant of progressive politics—a farmer, veteran, teacher, and President who fought for a more humane and accountable government even when doing so was politically costly. Though President Carter faced significant challenges during his administration, he steadfastly pursued a bold agenda focused on social and human services for working families. His Administration crafted the first national energy policy, created the Department of Education, and bolstered the Social Security system. He also expanded the National Park Service, protecting 103 million acres of land in Alaska. In 1976, he created the White House Office of Hispanic Affairs to address issues of critical importance to the Latino community, and held town halls across the nation to listen to the community's concerns. His new Department of Education created a fund for programs to help non-English-speaking students become proficient.
"President Carter's foreign policy legacy includes unprecedented movement toward peace in the Middle East and taking tangible actions—including the suspension of military aid—against countries that committed human rights abuses. He negotiated the Torrijos–Carter Treaties, which provided for the return of the Panama Canal to Panama in 1999.
"His post-presidency, however, was perhaps the most productive era of President Carter's life. His efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to unwaveringly advance human rights and alleviate human suffering, earned him the Nobel Peace Prize decades after leaving the White House. His steadfast pursuit of truth and peace leaves a powerful legacy to uphold.
"My thoughts are with the Carter family, their friends, and with all those who worked with President Carter through the decades."
