Rosalynn
Carter, First Lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981, championed
many causes while her husband Jimmy Carter served as President
and continued to work for a better world after he left office.
She was very active in her husband's political career while he
was Governor of Georgia and as president. She sat in on his Cabinet
meetings and he often sought her advice, and as First Lady asked
her to represent him at meetings with national and international
leaders. In 1977 she was invited to chair Friendship Force International,
an international cultural exchange program, and served in that
capacity for the next twenty-five years. When she led a US delegation
to Thailand, she became concerned about the plight of child refugees.
Rosalynn Carter was also a strong advocate for the Equal Rights
Amendment, guaranteeing equal rights for women. Mental health
is perhaps the issue she is most passionate about. While her husband
was Governor, she served on the Governor's Commission to Improve
Services for the Mentally and Emotionally Handicapped, and many
of the Commission's recommendations were enacted into law. As
the chair of the Presidential Commission on Mental Health, she
helped ensure the passage of the monumental Mental Health System
Bill in 1980. In 1982, Rosalynn and her husband co-founded the
Carter Center to continue their work to champion social issues
such as peace and mental health. In 1991, the former First Lady
launched "Every Child By Two", a campaign to increase childhood
immunizations, and continues to serve as its president. Rosalynn
Carter has received many awards and honors for her dedication
to a better world, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom,
America's highest civilian award.
