The state funeral for former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has moved to Washington, D.C., following ceremonies in his hometown of Plains, Georgia.
The 39th President’s casket, draped with the American flag, was flown from the Carter Presidential Center in Georgia to Washington, arriving at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. From there, it was transported via a motorcade to the U.S. Capitol, where it will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda.
Jimmy Carter, the only U.S. president to graduate from the United States Naval Academy, will be honored by lawmakers paying their respects in Congress. Carter, who served a single term in office from 1977 to 1981, began his political journey as a relatively unknown figure in Washington.
A Life of Service
Born in Plains, Georgia, in 1924, Carter graduated from the Naval Academy in 1946 and served as a submarine officer. He returned to his hometown in 1953 to run the family peanut farm after his father’s passing.
Carter’s political career began during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. He served two terms as a Georgia state legislator before becoming the state’s governor in 1971. In 1976, Carter defeated Republican Gerald Ford to become the 39th President of the United States.
Washington National Cathedral Ceremony
The state funeral will continue at the Washington National Cathedral, where President Joe Biden is scheduled to deliver a keynote address. All living former U.S. presidents have been invited to attend the ceremony.
Final Resting Place in Plains, Georgia
After the Washington ceremonies, Carter’s remains will be returned to Plains for a private service at Maranatha Baptist Church, where the former president, a devout evangelical, once taught Sunday school. Jimmy Carter will be laid to rest in a private ceremony near his family home.
