Michael Noël Turner

Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter volunteering on a Habitat for Humanity construction project in New York City in 1984... In September 1984, marking their very first project with Habitat for Humanity (which launched what became the annual Jimmy Carter Work Project). They worked side-by-side with volunteers and future homeowners to rehabilitate and renovate multi-family housing for families in need of affordable homes. . . . In 1984, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter arrived at a rundown building on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Three years earlier, they had lived in the White House. Now they were there to help renovate apartments for families who needed affordable housing. There were no presidential duties waiting for them, no state dinners or official ceremonies. They had come to work. Jimmy was 59. Rosalynn was 57. After his defeat in the 1980 election, the couple had returned to Georgia and begun reimagining what their lives could become. Their involvement with Habitat for Humanity would provide part of the answer. The organization brought volunteers and future homeowners together to build and improve affordable housing. In New York, the Carters joined a team renovating a six-story building, launching what became the annual Jimmy Carter Work Project. It was an unusual second act for a former president, but Rosalynn was far more than a supportive wife standing beside him. During her years as first lady, she had attended Cabinet meetings, represented the United States abroad, and become a leading advocate for mental health reform. She had never been content with a purely ceremonial role. The construction projects offered another way to serve. Over the following decades, Jimmy and Rosalynn worked alongside volunteers and homeowners in communities across the United States and abroad. Their presence helped turn a relatively small housing organization into an internationally recognized cause. They continued participating as they grew older, sometimes working in the heat, sometimes in difficult conditions, but always drawing attention to the families who would eventually live in the homes. Their marriage endured for 77 years, one of the longest in presidential history. Rosalynn died in November 2023 at 96. Jimmy died in December 2024 at 100. By then, their work with Habitat for Humanity had helped build, renovate, or repair thousands of homes. The photographs from those early projects remain especially moving. A former president and first lady, dressed for construction work, standing among volunteers instead of dignitaries. After reaching the highest office in the country, they spent decades helping other people find a place to call home. #archaeohistories