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Services and tributes set for former President Jimmy Carter
Public may pay their respects in person or along motorcade routes
President Carter with Nobel Peace Prize
President Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his “decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” The prize committee cites both his mediation of the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt in the White House and his commitment to human rights, conflict resolution, democracy, and global health through The Carter Center. (Photo courtesy of the Carter Center.)

Special to the Herald

The schedule for services and tributes honoring former President Jimmy Carter have been released. A national period of mourning will be Jan. 4-9, 2025. President Joe Biden has declared that Jan. 9 will be a national day of mourning. American flags are to fly at half-mast through Jan. 30.

The former president died Dec. 29.

According to the official announcement, former President Carter’s funeral schedule includes a pause at his boyhood farm; a motorcade to Atlanta; a pause at the Georgia State Capitol; a service at the Carter Presidential Center; public viewings in both Atlanta and Washington, D.C; a funeral procession in Washington; a service at the U.S. Capitol; a national funeral service at Washington National Cathedral; and a private service and interment in Plains, Georgia.

President Biden is scheduled to give a eulogy at the National Funeral Service.

The Carter Family invites the public to honor and celebrate the life of former President Carter by paying their respects during either of the public viewings; the funeral procession in Washington; in the downtown area of Plains, Georgia; or along the motorcade routes in Georgia and Washington.

The schedule is as follows:

Saturday, Jan. 4

10:30 a.m. – The motorcade departs Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus and travels through Carter’s hometown of Plains, Georgia.
10:50 a.m. – Carter and his family arrive at his boyhood home for a brief pause in front of the family’s farm. During the pause, the National Park Service will honor the late president with a salute and ringing of the historic farm bell 39 times.
10:55 a.m. – The late president officially begins his final journey to Atlanta.

3 p.m. – The motorcade arrives in Atlanta and pauses at Georgia’s State Capitol for a moment of silence by Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens, members of the Georgia Legislature, and Georgia State Patrol Troopers.
3:05 p.m. – The motorcade departs for the Carter Presidential Center.
4 p.m. – A private service at the Carter Presidential Center.
7 p.m. – Lying in Repose begins. Mourners are invited to come and pay their respects. Lying in Repose continues until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7.

 

Tuesday, Jan. 7

The Carter family and the late former president’s body leave for Washington, DC.

2 p.m. – The motorcade arrives at the U.S. Navy Memorial and Carter’s remains are transferred from a hearse to a horse drawn caisson with ceremony.
2:15 p.m. – The funeral procession begins marching up to the U.S. Capitol via Pennsylvania Avenue, turning left onto Constitution Avenue.
2:40 p.m. – Upon arrival at the U.S. Capitol, the late president is carried up the stairs by military body bearers and into the Rotunda.
3 p.m. – Members of Congress pays their respects during a service in the Rotunda.

3:45 p.m. – Carter begins lying in state while the military maintains a guard of honor.
7 p.m. to midnight – Lying in state open to the public.
 

Wednesday, Jan. 8
The late president continues to lie in state while the military maintains a guard of honor. The public is invited to pay their respects from 7 a.m. on Jan. 8 until 7 a.m. on Jan. 9.
 
Thursday, Jan. 9 (National Day of Mourning)
7 a.m. – Lying in State concludes.
9:15 a.m. – The motorcade departs for the Washington National Cathedral.

10 a.m. – National Funeral Service

11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. – Carter family and the former president’s remains depart for Plains, Georgia. A private funeral service will be held at Maranatha Baptist Church.

4:30 p.m. – A departure ceremony from Maranatha Baptist Church.
4:45 p.m. – The late president and his family travel by motorcade through downtown Plains. The public is invited to line the motorcade route as Carter makes his final journey through his beloved hometown.
5:20 p.m. – The motorcade arrives at the Carter residence for a private interment. Prior to interment, the U.S. Navy will conduct a missing-man formation flyover in honor of former President Carter’s naval service and time as commander-in-chief shortly after the motorcade’s arrival at the residence.