Jimmy Carter funeral: What to know about the former president’s services after his death aged 100
Two public observances will be held for former President Jimmy Carter who died Sunday at the age of 100, and he will receive the full honors of a state funeral in the nation’s capitol.
Carter, who was the longest-living former American president, died at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday according to his family.
The last time a Democratic president died was in 1973 when Lyndon Baines Johnson passed away at the age of 64, just a few years after leaving office.
The nation will now see the first funeral for a Democratic president in more than 50 years.
What we know about his funeral
The public observances will be held in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., followed by a private interment in Plains, Georgia, The Carter Center said in a statement.
Details of the state funeral are still pending and will be released by the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region, although Joe Biden confirmed in a statement that his “dear friend” would have a state funeral in Washington D.C.
The state funeral is a formal ceremony that includes traditions of lying in state, processions, religious services, military honors, and national mourning.
In lieu of flowers, the Carter family has requested contributions to The Carter Center. Tributes will be collected in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Enduring Hope Fund, according to the website.
Where will Carter lie in state and be buried?
According to FOX News, Carter is likely to lie in state in the Capitol rotunda eight or so days after his death.
The last president to lie in state was the late President George H.W. Bush in December 2018.
A report in the New York Times, suggested that, while no formal announcements have been made, a plan calls for Carter to be taken by motorcade to Atlanta. Once there, he will be brought for a brief stop at the Georgia State Capitol before arriving at the Carter Center, which has been the home of his post-presidential philanthropy and other activities, where he will lie in repose for 36 hours.
The outlet says he will then be flown to Washington, D.C. for the traditional televised ceremonies. He will also lie in state at the United States Capitol for a day and a half before the state funeral at Washington Cathedral, where Biden is expected to speak.
From there, he will be flown back to Georgia to be interred at the family plot in Plains.
What happens when a president dies?
The US “conducts state funerals on behalf of all persons who hold, or have held, the office of president as well as a president-elect and other persons designated by the president,” according to the US Army Military District of Washington.
A state funeral lasts seven to 10 days and includes three parts – ceremonies in the president’s home state, ceremonies in Washington DC, and finally ceremonies in the state where they choose to be buried.
The ceremonies in the capital region may include Armed Forces honor guards, military bands, and units from the National Guard and the US Armed Forces reserves. Outside of the capitol region, services may also include local units.
President Biden announced a national day of mourning will take place on January 9. Flags will be flown at half-staff on federal buildings, military posts, naval stations and naval vessels for 30 days.