 From the rural town of Plains, Georgia, Rosalynn Smith Carter emerged as one of the most respected and revered women in American political life. The Carter Presidency was a team effort, and Rosalynn brought intelligence, an interest in complex social and political issues, and a wealth of human compassion to the White House. Additionally, she is a woman of public service in her own right. Rosalynn was born to Allie and Edgar Smith of Plains in 1927. Her father died when she was 13 and she began helping her mother, a seamstress, to support the family. She graduated from Plains High School and was a 17-year-old freshman at Southwestern Georgia College when she had her first date with Jimmy Carter, then at home on vacation from the U.S. Naval Academy. Rosalynn made such a strong impression on Jimmy that he proclaimed to his mother after that first date, "She's the girl I want to marry." The couple wed in 1946, when both had finished their studies. They moved to Norfolk, Virginia, and lived the Navy life: Jimmy was away at sea and Rosalynn raised their children--Jack, Chip, and Jeff. Amy was not born until 1967. Jimmy left the Navy in 1953 when his father died, and the Carters went back to Plains to manage the family business. Rosalynn began working part-time as the business' bookkeeper. As the business prospered under Jimmy's management, her work became full-time. She concurrently volunteered for a number of community projects, including the mental health concerns she would later spearhead. During the White House years, Rosalynn was honored by many organizations and received numerous awards for her contributions as the Honorary Chairperson for the President's Commission on Mental Health The work resulted in the passage of the Mental Health Systems Act. She was named Volunteer of the Decade by the National Mental Health Association and received honorary doctorate degrees from Tift College and Morehouse College. Since returning to Plains, she has received the Presidential citation from the American Psychological Association, the Distinguished Service Award for Leadership from the Christian Life Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, was elected to the Board of Directors of the Gannett Company, Inc., and was made an Honorary Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. She is also on the Board of Habitat for Humanity, Inc. Her autobiography, First Lady from Plains, was published in May of 1984.
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