Former President Jimmy Carter’s casket arrived at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday afternoon, marking the beginning of a series of events to honor the life and legacy of the 39th president of the United States. Carter, who passed away on December 29 at the age of 100, made history by becoming the longest-living president in U.S. history. His beloved wife, Rosalynn, had passed away just a month before his death.
As the streets of Washington, D.C. were covered in snow from a recent storm, Carter’s casket was solemnly carried through the city, with members of Congress, Vice President Kamala Harris, Cabinet secretaries, and Carter’s family paying their respects in a service at the Capitol Rotunda. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and representatives from various organizations that had worked closely with Carter also paid their respects in the following days.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, spoke eloquently of Carter’s life and accomplishments, highlighting his service to the country as a Navy veteran, peanut farmer, governor of Georgia, and president. Thune emphasized Carter’s commitment to peace, human rights, and faith, calling him a faithful servant of his creator and fellow man.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, praised Carter for modeling the virtues of service and citizenship, noting his volunteer work for Habitat for Humanity and his efforts to promote peace and equality. Vice President Kamala Harris described Carter as a forward-looking president with a vision for the future, who embodied humility, modesty, and grace in all his endeavors.
The state funeral for Jimmy Carter was scheduled for Thursday, with President Biden set to deliver a eulogy along with other dignitaries. President-elect Donald Trump also confirmed his attendance at the service. Carter had been lying in repose in Atlanta as part of a series of observances that began with a service at his boyhood home in Plains, Georgia. The Carter Center reported that over 23,000 people had come to pay their respects to the former president.
Carter’s body was flown from Atlanta to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, where a ceremonial transfer to a hearse took place. A motorcade then traveled to the U.S. Navy Memorial, where Carter’s casket was transferred to a horse-drawn caisson. He will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda until Thursday, allowing members of the public to pay their respects. The funeral service on Thursday will be held at the National Cathedral before Carter’s remains are flown back to Georgia.
A final private service will take place in Plains, Georgia, where Carter will be buried next to his wife, Rosalynn, at the family’s peanut farm. The legacy of Jimmy Carter, a humble peanut farmer who rose to become the president of the United States, will be honored and remembered by all those who knew him.
The events of Tuesday were part of a full schedule of ceremonies and tributes to honor Jimmy Carter’s life and service to the country. The day began with a public visitation in Georgia, followed by a departure ceremony at the Carter Presidential Center. President Carter’s remains were then accompanied to Dobbins Air Reserve Base for a departure ceremony before being flown to Washington.
In Washington, D.C., Special Air Mission 39 arrived at Joint Base Andrews, where Carter’s remains were transferred to a hearse with ceremony. The family and his remains then traveled by motorcade to the U.S. Navy Memorial, where a horse-drawn caisson carried his casket to the U.S. Capitol. Members of Congress paid their respects during a service in the Rotunda, and the public was invited to pay their respects throughout the evening.
The day’s events were a poignant tribute to a man who dedicated his life to serving his country and promoting peace and equality. Jimmy Carter’s legacy will continue to inspire future generations to work towards a better world, just as he did throughout his remarkable life.
