Joint Center Mourns the Passing of President Jimmy Carter

In response to the passing of President Jimmy Carter, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies issued the following statement:

"We mourn the loss of President Jimmy Carter, a champion of human and civil rights. As diversity and inclusion efforts are being challenged, we look to his legacy of supporting Black communities by appointing civil rights icon Andrew Young as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and legal scholar Patricia Harris as the HUD Secretary, making her the first Black woman to serve in a presidential cabinet. During his presidency, he also launched the Black College Initiative to increase federal support for HBCUs," said Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, Joint Center president. "President Carter, a friend of the Joint Center, was also the first recipient of the Louis E. Martin Great American Award — our highest honor — in 2004. Martin, Joint Center co-founder, and our award’s namesake, also served as a trusted advisor to President Carter during his presidency as well as for Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. We will continue to honor President Carter’s unwavering commitment to public service and his lifelong dedication to racial, economic, and social justice. His legacy will endure. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time."