The U.S. Postal Service announced plans to issue a commemorative Forever stamp honoring former President Jimmy Carter, who died Dec. 29, 2024, at age 100. The Jimmy Carter stamp will be available for purchase starting Oct. 1 in Atlanta, coinciding with what would have been Carter’s 101st birthday.
Representatives from the Friends of Jimmy Carter, the National Park Service and the Postal Service unveiled the Jimmy Carter stamp art Aug. 16 at the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in Plains, Georgia.
“The stamp program celebrates the best in American culture, places and people, and it is difficult to consider a more fitting honoree than former President Jimmy Carter. In his support and leadership of his beloved community, state, and nation, he lent his quiet, thoughtful and deliberate energy around causes he believed in, and most certainly in his conduct and accomplishments as a former President, Jimmy Carter truly personified the best in America. I am honored to participate in the reveal of this stamp art which fully evokes his humanity,” said Peter Pastre, the Postal Service’s government relations and public policy vice president.
Kim Carter Fuller, executive director of the Friends of Jimmy Carter, said, “The Carter family and the Friends of Jimmy Carter are honored to be able to take part in revealing the design for President Carter’s Forever stamp. Together we’ve had the distinct privilege of a front row seat to his life and legacy, and today’s reveal gives the world an opportunity to share his legacy with others on a daily basis.”
The Jimmy Carter stamp features a 1982 oil-on-linen painting by artist Herbert E. Abrams, created as a life study for Carter’s official White House portrait. Abrams, a Connecticut native known for portraying national figures, completed the work in Plains after Carter left office. Ethel Kessler, an art director for the Postal Service, designed the Jimmy Carter stamp.
As a Forever stamp, the Jimmy Carter stamp will always equal the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price. The Postal Service shared news of the Jimmy Carter stamp with the hashtag #JimmyCarterStamp.
From his roots in Plains, Carter rose to become the 39th president, inaugurated Jan. 20, 1977. He emphasized humility and reconciliation, appointing numerous women and minorities to government roles. Carter established a presidential commission on mental health, created cabinet departments for education and energy, and expanded the National Park System and wilderness areas. He focused on balancing the federal budget and controlling inflation, deregulating industries like energy and air travel.
Internationally, Carter negotiated the Camp David Accords in 1978, providing a peace framework for the Middle East. The 13-day talks at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland’s Catoctin Mountain Park, involved Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, leading to the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty. Carter also signed the SALT II treaty to limit nuclear arms and established diplomatic relations with China.
After his presidency, Carter founded the Carter Center in 1982 with Emory University, promoting democracy, election monitoring, dispute mediation and disease prevention. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for these efforts.
Carter’s early life included attending the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, graduating in 1946. He served in the Navy until 1953, working on nuclear submarines. This Maryland connection extended through his presidency, with Camp David hosting key diplomatic events.
In Maryland, Carter’s legacy resonates through his humanitarian work. He participated in Habitat for Humanity projects in Baltimore, helping rehabilitate homes in neighborhoods like Sandtown-Winchester. In 1992, Carter worked alongside volunteers on a home rehab, boosting local housing efforts. Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake has built over 800 homes in the region, crediting Carter’s involvement for increased awareness.
Following Carter’s death, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore ordered flags at half-staff statewide until sunset Jan. 28, 2025, in honor of the former president. The gesture aligned with a national mourning period, including a state funeral in Washington from Jan. 4 to Jan. 9, 2025. Moore rejected calls for a state worker holiday on Jan. 9, the national day of mourning, citing operational needs.
The Jimmy Carter stamp joins others honoring presidents, continuing a Postal Service tradition dating to 1847. Recent stamps have featured figures like John Lewis and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The announcement drew widespread coverage, with details available on the Postal Service website.
Carter’s post-presidential activism included monitoring over 100 elections worldwide and eradicating Guinea worm disease, reducing cases from 3.5 million in 1986 to fewer than 30 annually by 2024. His work with the Carter Center advanced human rights in 80 countries.
This Jimmy Carter stamp serves as a lasting tribute, allowing daily use to commemorate his contributions. As Pastre noted, it captures Carter’s humanity amid his extensive legacy.
