On 29 Dec. 2024, Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, officially set the record for the longest-living U.S. president. He was 100-years-old when he died in his Georgia home. Then, on 9 Jan. 2025, the federal and some state governments closed their facilities for the national day of mourning.
National days of mourning are normally ordered by the president upon the death of a former president but can be ordered for other reasons. The tradition started after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination in 1865 and many presidents since have been honored with one. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were also given a day of mourning after their assassinations in 1968. Then, President George W. Bush called for a day of mourning following the events of 9/11.
While the federal government is closed by the president, state governments do not close unless ordered by the governor. This is exactly what Gov. Laura Kelly did on 30 Dec, 2024, giving an executive order to close state offices in Kansas.
Within her executive order, Gov. Kelly also acknowledged some of President Carter’s humanitarian efforts. The former president was known for his support of civil rights and peace negotiations. His human rights campaigns, peace negotiations, and work for social welfare saw him awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. These efforts included the founding of the Carter Center with his wife of 77 years, building homes with Habitat for Humanity, and creating the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt.
The day of mourning saw not only the closing of postal services, the Supreme Court, the stock market, and other government offices, it was also former President Carter’s funeral date. The interactions between all of the presidents, vice presidents, and first and second ladies were some of the most talked about aspects of the funeral on social media. The funeral also saw many speeches including one by President Biden.
R.I.P. Jimmy Carter.
