Memorial services for former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away Sunday at the age of 100, will take place over several days in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.
President Biden has designated Thursday, January 9, as a national day of mourning for Carter, who will be laid to rest in a private ceremony in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, alongside his wife, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, who passed away in November 2023.
“Through his compassion and moral clarity, he worked tirelessly to combat disease, promote peace, advance civil and human rights, ensure free elections, provide housing for the homeless, and advocate for the most vulnerable. He touched and transformed lives around the world,” Biden said on Sunday of Carter, the longest-living U.S. president.
Carter’s state funeral is scheduled for January 9 at the Washington National Cathedral.
In tribute, Biden ordered flags at all government buildings to be flown at half-staff for the next 30 days.
A state funeral, organized in collaboration with the Defense Department, typically spans 7–10 days and allows the public to participate or observe. It consists of three main stages: a ceremony in the president’s home state, a formal event in Washington, D.C., and a burial service in the state of their choosing. These funerals are not exclusive to former presidents but may also honor presidents-elect and other individuals designated by the sitting president.
The most recent state funeral was for George H.W. Bush in 2018, held at the Washington National Cathedral with over 3,000 attendees, including political leaders and former presidents. Jimmy Carter was present, along with former presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and then-President Donald Trump.
The first stage of the funeral will take place on January 4–5, with Carter lying in repose at the Carter Center in Atlanta. On January 6, he will be transported to Washington, D.C., where he will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda, allowing the public to pay their respects. His state funeral will follow on January 9 at the Washington National Cathedral. President Biden, who Carter asked to deliver a eulogy, will honor him at the service.
Carter will then be returned to Georgia for a private burial ceremony in Plains, where he will be interred next to his wife.
World leaders and former U.S. presidents are expected to attend the Washington, D.C., services. At George H.W. Bush’s funeral in 2018, former presidents Clinton, Obama, Trump, and George W. Bush, along with their spouses, were in attendance.
Flags across the nation will remain at half-staff through most of January, as declared by President Biden. In a statement on December 29, former President Trump acknowledged his philosophical and political disagreements with Carter but praised his dedication to improving America, offering him “the highest respect.”
