Jimmy Carter becomes first American president to celebrate turning 100

Jimmy Carter signing copies of his new book, 'Faith" on March 26, 2018, at Barnes & Noble in New York City.
Jimmy Carter signing copies of his new book, 'Faith" on March 26, 2018, at Barnes & Noble in New York City. Credit: AP

Jimmy Carter celebrated his 100th birthday on Tuesday, becoming the first ever former US president to reach the milestone.

The Democrat from Plains, Georgia served in the White House from 1977 to 1981.

The 39th US president was the son of a Depression-era farmer, working in the family peanut farm and warehouse business.

After his term in office, Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, spent decades working with the Carter Center which they co-founded in 1982 to "wage peace, fight disease, and build hope."

Peter Rosenstein, who worked in the Carter administration from 1978 to 1980, describes him as an "amazing man" and 'incredible president'

He went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, as he was recognised for his "decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development".

His grandson, Jason, spoke to ITV's Good Morning Britain and said his grandfather hopes to see Vice President Kamala Harris defeat Donald Trump in the presidential election.

Jason Carter said: "I think he’d be frustrated [if Trump was elected] but it’s a democracy and your candidate can’t always win.

Jimmy Carter In the Oval Office on his inauguration in 1977 Credit: AP

"I think it would be an incredible arc of a life for one of his last acts to be to help elect a black woman as President of the United States," Jason said.

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"Not everybody gets 100 years on this Earth, and when somebody does, and when they use that time to do so much good for so many people, it’s worth celebrating," he added.

"These last few months, 19 months, now that he’s been in hospice, it’s been a chance for our family to reflect and then for the rest of the country and the world to really reflect on him.

"That’s been a really gratifying time."

Jill Stuckey, Jimmy, and his late wife Rosalynn (right)

Jill Stuckey, the superintendent of the Jimmy Carter National Historic Park, has been a friend of the Carters for more than 30 years.

She describes knowing both Jimmy and his late wife Rosalynn as the "honour of her life".

President Joe Biden congratulated Carter on his milestone last week, saying: "On behalf of the entire Biden family and American people, happy 100th birthday.

"Mr President you've always been a moral force for our nation and the world.

"Your hopeful vision for our country, your commitment to a better world and your unwavering belief in the power of human goodness continues being a guiding light for all of us.

"Put simply, I admire you so darn much."

Watch President Joe Biden describe former President Jimmy Carter as a 'moral force for our nation'

Carter survived a cancer treatment at age 90, then several falls and a hip replacement in his mid-90s before announcing at 98 that he would enter hospice care.

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