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...

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