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Rosalynn Carter
Making mental health and caregiving central to her public work.
United States First Lady · The Carter Center
- Born
- 18 August 1927
- Birthplace
- Plains, Georgia, United States
- Died
- 19 November 2023
More people
Rosalynn Carter
Rosalynn Carter was an American first lady and advocate who campaigned for better mental-health services. Her work continued for decades after the White House through the Carter Center and support for unpaid caregivers.
Early life
Plains childhood
Her father died while she was young, and she helped support the household.
College
Attended Georgia Southwestern College before marrying Jimmy Carter in 1946.
Career
- 1960s–1970s
Georgia advocacy
Became involved in mental-health issues during her husband’s political career.
- 1977–1981
First Lady
Worked with the President’s Commission on Mental Health and testified to Congress.
- 1982 onwards
Carter Center
Co-founded the organisation and developed mental-health programmes.
- 1987
Caregiving institute
Helped establish an institute dedicated to the needs of caregivers.
Public work
Mental Health Systems Act
Advocated federal reform intended to strengthen community mental-health services.
Policy symposium
Convened recurring discussions connecting research, policy and mental-health advocacy.
Journalism fellowships
Supported reporting intended to improve understanding of mental illness.
Beyond public life
Family partnership
Worked closely with Jimmy Carter throughout their long marriage; they had four children.
Housing work
Joined Habitat for Humanity building projects well into later life.
Sources & photo credit
Biography ↗Life and work ↗Photo: File:Rose Carter, official color photo, 1977.jpg : White House derivative work: Hagar ( User talk:Hagar ). Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
