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USPS Honors President Jimmy Carter with Forever Stamp on What Would Have Been His 101st Birthday
On October 1, 2025, the U.S. Postal Service unveiled a Forever stamp honoring President Jimmy Carter on what would have been his 101st birthday. The tribute reflects his life of service, humility, and impact, particularly through The Carter Center, which he co-founded for humanitarian efforts after his presidency.
Last Updated on October 20, 2025 by Daily News Staff
In a touching tribute to one of America’s most beloved statesmen, the U.S. Postal Service unveiled a commemorative Forever stamp honoring President Jimmy Carter on October 1, 2025 — the day that would have marked his 101st birthday. The dedication ceremony took place at The Carter Center in Atlanta, where family, officials, and admirers gathered to celebrate a life defined by service, humility, and unwavering dedication to humanity.
From Plains to the Presidency: A Journey of Humble Beginnings
“Born in 1924 in Plains, Georgia — a town of just 600 people — Jimmy Carter’s story is one of humble beginnings leading to a lifetime of extraordinary service,” said Thomas J. Marshall, general counsel and executive vice president of the U.S. Postal Service during the ceremony.
It’s a quintessentially American story: a small-town boy who would grow up to lead the nation and then spend decades afterward making the world a better place. Carter served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981, but as Marshall noted, “perhaps the most remarkable chapter began after he left the White House.”
A Post-Presidency Like No Other
Rather than settling into a quiet retirement, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter embarked on what many historians consider the most consequential post-presidency in American history. In 1982, they partnered with Emory University to establish The Carter Center, an organization that has spent more than four decades advancing democracy, resolving conflicts, and improving health outcomes in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
Jason Carter, chair of The Carter Center and the former president’s grandson, shared his family’s gratitude: “Our family is excited to attend the first-day-of-issue ceremony to celebrate the life and legacy of my grandfather, President Jimmy Carter. My grandparents would be touched by this incredible honor.”
The Postal Service’s Role in Shaping a Legacy
In a poignant connection, Beth Davis, The Carter Center’s chief operating officer, revealed how the U.S. Postal Service played a surprisingly central role in shaping Carter’s worldview and mission.
“Postcards from his uncle inspired a young Jimmy Carter to join the Navy and explore the world outside of rural Georgia,” Davis explained. “Missives from his mother during her time in India with the Peace Corps after she retired from nursing set the example for him that a life of purpose doesn’t end in your 50s when one career path concludes.”
Those letters and postcards — simple pieces of mail that traveled thousands of miles — planted seeds that would eventually grow into The Carter Center’s global humanitarian mission.
A Presidency Marked by Progress and Principle
Carter’s presidency was defined by themes of humility, reconciliation, and progressive change. Inaugurated on January 20, 1977, he brought a fresh perspective to Washington as an outsider representing a new generation of Southern politicians.
His accomplishments during his single term were significant:
- Appointed unprecedented numbers of women and minorities to government positions
- Created a presidential commission on mental health
- Established new cabinet departments
- Dramatically expanded the National Park System and federally designated wilderness areas
- Ushered through deregulation in energy and air travel industries
- Personally negotiated the Camp David Accords, creating a framework for Middle East peace
- Signed SALT II to limit strategic nuclear arms with the Soviet Union
- Established formal diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China
The Nobel Laureate Who Never Stopped Serving
In 2002, Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his decades of work promoting peace, human rights, and social and economic progress worldwide. The award cemented his reputation as one of the most active and admired former presidents in American history.
Through The Carter Center, he tackled some of humanity’s most pressing challenges — from eradicating Guinea worm disease to monitoring elections in emerging democracies to building homes with Habitat for Humanity well into his 90s.
The Stamp: Art Meets History
The Forever stamp features a 1982 oil-on-linen painting created by artist Herbert E. Abrams (1921-2003) as a life study in preparation for Carter’s official White House portrait. The stamp was designed by Ethel Kessler, an art director for USPS.
As a Forever stamp, it will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price — a fitting metaphor for Carter’s enduring legacy.
How to Get Your Jimmy Carter Stamp
The commemorative stamp is now available for purchase through multiple channels:
- Online at usps.com/shopstamps
- By phone at 844-737-7826
- By mail through USA Philatelic
- At Post Office locations nationwide
- Through the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon
Collectors and admirers can follow updates using the hashtag #JimmyCarterStamp on social media.
A Legacy Written in Service
The issuance of this stamp is more than a commemorative gesture — it’s a reminder that true leadership doesn’t end when you leave office. Jimmy Carter showed us that the most important work often begins when the spotlight fades, and that a life of purpose knows no retirement age.
From a small town in Georgia to the White House to villages across the globe, President Carter’s journey reminds us that one person, armed with compassion and conviction, can change the world.
The Forever stamp ensures that his image — and his example — will continue to travel across America, carrying messages of hope, connection, and possibility, just as those postcards once did for a young boy in Plains, Georgia.
For more information about the stamp and The Carter Center’s ongoing work, visit StampsForever.com and CarterCenter.org.
SOURCE U.S. Postal Service
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