Jimmy Carter, the humble Georgia peanut farmer who rose to become the 39th president of the United States, passed away on Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia. Carter, who faced significant challenges during his presidency but earned widespread acclaim for his humanitarian efforts after leaving office, was 100 years old.

President Joe Biden has declared January 9 a national day of mourning to honor Carter’s memory. In a White House statement, Biden urged Americans to gather in places of worship to “pay homage to the memory of President James Earl Carter.”

Carter, a Democrat, took office in January 1977 after defeating Republican President Gerald Ford in the 1976 election. His presidency saw remarkable achievements, including the 1978 Camp David Accords, which brokered peace between Israel and Egypt. The treaty ended a state of war between the two nations and earned Carter global recognition as a peacemaker.

However, his administration was overshadowed by domestic economic challenges, including double-digit inflation and soaring gas prices, as well as the Iran hostage crisis. The 444-day ordeal began in November 1979 when Iranian revolutionaries stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. A failed rescue attempt and the hostages’ eventual release minutes after Carter left office deeply marred his presidency.

Carter’s political troubles culminated in his landslide defeat in the 1980 election to Republican challenger Ronald Reagan, who captured 44 states and an overwhelming Electoral College majority.

While Carter left office with low approval ratings, he transformed his legacy in the decades that followed. Dedicating himself to humanitarian causes, Carter became a global advocate for peace, democracy, and human rights. His work through the Carter Center, which monitored elections worldwide and fought diseases in impoverished nations, earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

“His significant role in achieving the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel will remain etched in the annals of history,” said Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in a tribute on X (formerly Twitter).

The Nobel Committee also honored Carter’s legacy on Monday, noting his “untiring efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”

Carter faced health challenges in his later years, including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain. In February 2023, he chose hospice care over further medical intervention. His wife, Rosalynn Carter, to whom he was married for 77 years, passed away just weeks before him on November 19, 2023, at age 96. The couple is survived by their three sons, a daughter, and numerous grandchildren.

The Carter Center announced plans for public observances in Atlanta and Washington, followed by a private interment in Plains.

Born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, James Earl Carter Jr. was the eldest of four children. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he served in the Navy’s nuclear submarine program before returning to Georgia to manage his family’s peanut business.

Carter’s rise in politics was fueled by his reputation as a Washington outsider during a period of national disillusionment following the Watergate scandal. He famously promised, “I will never lie to you,” during his campaign.

Though he acknowledged his shortcomings as president, Carter’s post-White House achievements cemented his status as one of the most impactful former presidents in U.S. history.

From championing peace in the Middle East to advocating for the disenfranchised, Carter leaves behind a legacy defined by integrity, compassion, and an unyielding commitment to the betterment of humanity.