LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Tributes for former U.S. President Jimmy Carter continue to pour in from across the country and the globe, including heartfelt memories from people in the Louisville area.
Carter, who served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981, is remembered not only for his time in office but also for his decades of humanitarian work that followed.
For Simmons College of Kentucky athletic director Jerry Eaves, meeting Carter was a moment that left a lasting impression. Eaves was first invited to the White House as a recruit for Maryland and later returned in 1980 as a member of the NCAA Louisville Championship team.
“I was going back for my second time, so I thought I was a veteran,” Eaves laughed. “I felt big time because I knew where I was, and they took me on an extensive tour.”
Eaves fondly recalls a personal touch during that visit, “His wife Rosalynn baked us cookies. She baked them. She baked them for the team.”
Muhammad Ali with Jimmy Carter.
Carter’s legacy extends far beyond his presidency. In 2013, he was the inaugural recipient of the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards Lifetime Achievement honor. His connection with Ali spanned decades, beginning in the 1970s when Ali joined Carter’s envoy to African nations in 1980.
“They had a really special relationship,” said Erin Herbert, director of Education and Programming for the Muhammad Ali Center. “A friendship based on mutual respect and shared values that lasted nearly five decades.”
Herbert added, “Both men were champions of peace-building, of creating bridges, and of using their entire lives in service to others.”
Former Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson recalls Carter’s impact on the city through the Urban Development Action Grants (UDAG), a program initiated during Carter’s administration.
“He really helped us,” Abramson said. “We used a major UDAG grant to refurbish the old Brown Hotel, a project that revitalized downtown Louisville.”
Carter’s influence even reached Louisville’s beer scene. During his presidency, his brother Billy Carter launched “Billy Beer,” which was canned and bottled in the Derby City.
Carter's enduring commitment to service and humanity remains an inspiration to many.
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