Joe Biden declares January 9 national day of mourning after Jimmy Carter's death
Biden declared January 9 a national day of mourning for Jimmy Carter, calling on Americans to visit their places of worship to “pay homage” to the late leader.
US President Joe Biden on Sunday declared January 9 a national day of mourning for Jimmy Carter, calling on Americans to visit their places of worship to “pay homage” to the late US leader.
“I call on the American people to assemble on that day in their respective places of worship, there to pay homage to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr,” Biden stated in a White House proclamation. “I invite the people of the world who share our grief to join us in this solemn observance.”
Carter passed away at the age of 100. The 39th president of the US was a Georgia peanut farmer worked tirelessly as a humanitarian and tried to rebuild public confidence in the government. In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The former President breathed his last at his residence in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday, two years after he was admitted to hospice care.
Carter defeated President Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 general election and took the oath of office on January 20, 1977, at the age of 52.
Carter resigned on January 20, 1981 after losing the general election to Ronald Reagan in 1980.
Carter's state funeral will take place on Jan. 9
Biden has scheduled a state funeral in Washington for Carter on Jan. 9, the longest-lived former president.
The outgoing President also ordered US flags to fly at half-staff for 30 days from Sunday.
Know about national day of mourning
In the past, the U.S. financial markets and federal offices remained closed on national days of mourning following the passing of former Presidents Gerald Ford in 2006 and George H. W. Bush in 2018.
In addition to Biden's declaration that he would order an official state funeral, the Carter Center stated that public memorial observances will be held in Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
While funeral arrangements are still pending, the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region will provide an official timeline, according to the Carter Center.
