President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden are scheduled to travel to Georgia on Tuesday to pay tribute to former first lady Rosalynn Carter, who passed away earlier this month at the age of 96. The Bidens, along with Vice President Kamala Harris and first gentleman Douglas Emhoff, will attend a tribute service at Glenn Memorial Church at Emory University in Atlanta.
This tribute service is part of a series of memorials taking place throughout Georgia to honor the former first lady’s life and legacy. The events began with a wreath-laying ceremony at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, where Rosalynn Carter attended college.
In a statement last week, the Bidens acknowledged Rosalynn Carter’s contributions to society, highlighting her advocacy for equal rights and opportunities for women and girls, as well as her support for mental health and caregivers. Vice President Harris also praised Carter’s “life of service, faith, compassion, and unmatched moral leadership.”
Rosalynn Carter, often considered her husband’s partner and collaborator, founded the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers at Emory in 1987, aimed at supporting caregivers through direct service programs and policy initiatives.
Following the tribute service, Carter will lie in repose at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta. Her funeral service will take place in Plains, Georgia, at the Maranatha Baptist Church, where she will be buried in a private ceremony at the home she shared with former President Jimmy Carter.
Plains, Georgia, holds great significance in the Carter legacy, as it is where the couple grew up and made their longtime home. Historians and experts have emphasized the town’s importance in understanding the Carters’ legacies.
The complete schedule of memorial services for Rosalynn Carter includes a departure ceremony at the Carter Presidential Center, a tribute service at Emory University, and a funeral service at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains.
The Bidens and Harris are set to honor Rosalynn Carter’s legacy in Georgia, marking the end of a series of memorials to celebrate her life and accomplishments. This heartfelt tribute seeks to honor a remarkable woman who left an indelible mark on American society.
