President Jimmy Carter


Democratic nominee Jimmy Carter narrowly defeated Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 election to become the 39th President of the United States. They both worked to ensure a smooth transition between their administrations and developed a cordial working relationship, but did not become close friends until they traveled together to attend the funeral of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in 1981. Over the following 25 years they shared leadership roles on numerous projects and enjoyed spending time together. Towards the end of President Ford's life they each agreed that they would speak at the other's funeral if he died first. President Carter fulfilled that promise, delivering a eulogy for President Ford during his funeral service in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on January 3, 2007.

View selected documents relating to Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter:


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President Ford and Jimmy Carter meet at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia to debate domestic policy during the first of three Ford-Carter Debates.
Image: B1603-10

Description: President Gerald R. Ford and Jimmy Carter meet at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia to debate domestic policy during the first of three Ford-Carter Debates. September 23, 1976.

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President Ford and Jimmy Carter meet at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia to debate domestic policy during the first of three Ford-Carter Debates.
Image: B1607-19

Description: President Gerald R. Ford and Jimmy Carter meet at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia to debate domestic policy during the first of three Ford-Carter Debates. September 23, 1976. 

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resident Ford speaks with Rosalynn Carter and Jimmy Carter following the first of three Ford-Carter Debates at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia.
Image: B1608-11A

Description: President Gerald R. Ford speaks with Rosalynn Carter and Jimmy Carter following the first of three Ford-Carter Debates at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia. September 23, 1976.

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President Ford and Jimmy Carter shake hands during the last of the three Ford-Carter Debates held at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Image: B1981-16

Description: President Gerald R. Ford and Jimmy Carter shake hands during the last of the three Ford-Carter Debates held at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.  October 22, 1976.

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President Ford and President-elect Jimmy Carter walk through the Rose Garden following the arrival of the Carters for a tour of the White House.
Image: B2327-20A

Description: President Gerald R. Ford and President-elect Jimmy Carter walk through the Rose Garden following the arrival of the Carters for a tour of the White House.  November 22, 1976.

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Image: B2305-26A

Description: President Gerald R. Ford and President-elect Jimmy Carter meeting in the Oval Office.  November 22, 1976.

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Members of the media covering President Ford's meeting with President-elect Jimmy Carter in the Oval Office.
Image: B2305-29A

Description: Members of the media covering President Gerald R. Ford's meeting with President-elect Jimmy Carter in the Oval Office.  November 22, 1976. 

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President-elect Jimmy Carter during a meeting with President Ford in the Oval Office.
Image: B2312-04

Description: President-elect Jimmy Carter during a meeting with President Gerald R. Ford in the Oval Office. November 22, 1976. 

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President-elect Jimmy Carter and President Ford reviewing binders of material during a meeting in the Oval Office.
Image: B2316-25

Description: President-elect Jimmy Carter and President Gerald R. Ford reviewing binders of material during a meeting in the Oval Office.  November 22, 1976. 

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President Ford and Betty Ford greeting President-elect Jimmy Carter, Rosalynn Carter, and Speaker of the House Thomas P. Tip O'Neill at the North Portico of the White House prior to a reception for the Carters and the Mondales.
Image: B2885-26A

Description: President Gerald R. Ford and Betty Ford greeting President-elect Jimmy Carter, Rosalynn Carter, and Speaker of the House Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill at the North Portico of the White House prior to a reception for the Carters and the Mondales.  January 20, 1977. 

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President-elect Jimmy Carter and President Ford talking during a reception for the Carters and the Mondales in the Blue Room at the White House prior to the inauguration ceremony.
Image: B2881-14

Description: President-elect Jimmy Carter and President Gerald R. Ford talking during a reception for the Carters and the Mondales in the Blue Room at the White House prior to the inauguration ceremony.  January 20, 1977. 

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President Ford, President-elect Jimmy Carter, Speaker of the House Thomas P. Tip O'Neill, and Senator Howard Cannon riding in a limousine in the motorcade to the Inauguration of Jimmy Carter as the 39th President of the United States.
Image: B2880-14

Description: President Gerald R. Ford, President-elect Jimmy Carter, Speaker of the House Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, and Senator Howard Cannon riding in a limousine in the motorcade to the Inauguration of Jimmy Carter as the 39th President of the United States.  January 20, 1977. 

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President Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter at Inauguration of Carter as the 39th President of the United States at the United States Capitol.
Image: B2873-05

Description: President Gerald R. Ford and Jimmy Carter at Inauguration of Carter as the 39th President of the United States at the United States Capitol. January 20, 1977. 

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President Jimmy Carter, President Gerald Ford, and President Richard Nixon in Howard Baker's office after attending a memorial service for Hubert H. Humphrey in the Capitol Rotunda.
Image: AV1982-18-P746

Description: President Jimmy Carter with former Presidents Gerald R. Ford and Richard Nixon in Howard Baker's office after attending a memorial service for Hubert H. Humphrey in the Capitol Rotunda. January 15, 1978. 

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Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald R. Ford co-host an All-Democracies Conference at the Gerald R. Ford Library in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Image: NLGRF 83-23-35A

Description: Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald R. Ford co-host an All-Democracies Conference at the Gerald R. Ford Library in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  February 9, 1983. 

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Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald R. Ford participate in a panel discussion at the Symposium on New Weapons Technologies and Soviet-American Relations at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Image: NLGRF 84-28-32A

Description: Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Gerald R. Ford participate in a panel discussion at the Symposium on New Weapons Technologies and Soviet-American Relations at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  November 14, 1984. 

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Former Presidents Gerald R. Ford and Jimmy Carter with Vice President and President-elect George H.W. Bush at the White House to present him with the American Agenda.
Image: AV89-9-90

Description: Former Presidents Gerald R. Ford and Jimmy Carter with Vice President and President-elect George H.W. Bush at the White House to present him with the American Agenda.  November 21, 1988. 

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Former Presidents Gerald R. Ford, George H.W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter join President Bill Clinton in the White House for a NAFTA Breakfast Meeting.
Image: P7357-07a

Description: Former Presidents Gerald R. Ford, George H.W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter join President Bill Clinton in the White House for a NAFTA Breakfast Meeting. September 14, 1993. 

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Former Presidents Gerald R. Ford, George H.W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter walking with President Bill Clinton to the East Room of the White House prior to the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Image: 98-NLF-040-015

Description: Former Presidents Gerald R. Ford, George H.W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter walking with President Bill Clinton to the East Room of the White House prior to the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).  September 14, 1993. 

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Former Presidents Gerald R. Ford and Jimmy Carter embracing during the ceremony for the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Image: AV94-24-13

Description: Former Presidents Gerald R. Ford and Jimmy Carter embracing during the ceremony for the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). September 14, 1993.

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Former President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter at the Grace Episcopal Church service for Gerald R. Ford in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Also pictured are Vice President Richard Cheney, Lynne Cheney, and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
Image: 2007-NLF-043-GraceChurch-031

Description: Former President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter at the Grace Episcopal Church service for Gerald R. Ford in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Also pictured are Vice President Richard Cheney, Lynne Cheney, and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.  January 3, 2007. 

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President Jimmy Carter delivering his eulogy at the Grace Episcopal Church service for Gerald R. Ford in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Image: 2007-NLF-043-GraceChurch-049

Description: Former President Jimmy Carter delivering his eulogy at the Grace Episcopal Church service for Gerald R. Ford in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  January 3, 2007. 

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