Recollecting Carter

Jimmy Carter will be remembered as a man of faith, principle, and charity. Though once remembered as "a good man but not a great president," there is a growing consensus among historians today that our collective memory of Carter needs to be "re-collected." This is Jason Lee Guthrie, host of the Recollecting Carter podcast. On this series finale, I revisit some highlights from previous episodes and end with some final recollections of my own... NOTE: This series was recorded before President Carter passed on December 29, 2024 at the age of 100. Throughout the podcast, Carter is referred to in the present tense, reflecting the time of recording. The original content has been preserved as a tribute to his remarkable life and legacy.

The concept of collective memory has been the guiding theme of this podcast. On this episode of Recollecting Carter, I asked Dr. Janice Hume to define collective memory, and to explain the unique place that American Presidents hold in it. As he approaches his 100th birthday, we discussed how Carter's long life has had a unique affect on our collective memory of him, and how that memory might continue to evolve after his passing.

Before he was President, Governor, or even a State Senator, Jimmy Carter's first political office was on the Sumter County School Board in rural, south Georgia filling a seat vacated when his father passed away in 1953. On this episode of Recollecting Carter, I talk with Dr. Jason Berggren about how understanding Carter's earliest political appointment helps us to better appreciate just how much he evolved over the course of his career. You can find Jason and co-author Adrienne Petty's research at: https://www.npshistory.com/publications/jica/sumter-co.pdf

Though we rarely hear talk of a "Religious Left" today, in the 1960s and 70s there was an active and vibrant set of voices advocating for progressive policies from across the faith spectrum. On this episode of Recollecting Carter, I talk with Dr. L. Benjamin Rolsky about how Carter fit into that historical moment and the lessons that we can learn about the relationship between faith, politics, and popular culture. You can find Benji's book at: https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-religious-left/9780231193634

Biographer Kai Bird published The Outlier: The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter in 2021. Kai is a prolific author, most notably of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, which earned he and his co-author a Pulitzer Prize in 2006 and became a major motion picture in 2023. I got a chance to talk with Kai about the role he sees biographers playing in the formation of collective memory. You can find Kai's book at: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/538942/the-outlier-by-kai-bird/