Page 7 - Work Force February 2025

Former U.S. President Carter’s visit to CSEA ADM recalled
Our union is mourning the loss
of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on Dec. 29,
2024, at age 100.
Carter was born and raised in
Plains, Ga., graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946 and owned a peanut farm. A strong
supporter of civil
rights, Carter became active in politics
and served in the Georgia State Senate and later as governor of Georgia. In 1976, he was elected U.S. President and served from 1977 to 1981.
Carter has a
special place in
CSEA’s history. In 1980, Carter became the first sitting U.S. President to address our union’s Annual Delegates Meeting. He
was also the first U.S. Presidential candidate to receive an endorsement from our union, which had affiliated
with AFSCME two years earlier.
As reported in the Oct. 15, 1980,
Public Sector (then CSEA’s statewide publication), on Oct. 1, 1980, also Carter’s 56th birthday, he attended our union’s 70th Annual Delegates Meeting in Niagara Falls to address
delegates and accept CSEA’s Presidential endorsement.
Carter, who had
met with United Auto Workers in Michigan earlier that day, traveled to Niagara Falls in the late afternoon. At the ADM site, Carter was greeted by then CSEA President William McGowan, our
union’s nine other statewide officers and then AFSCME International President Jerry Wurf. Also attending the event were Gov. Hugh Carey, U.S. Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, U.S. Rep. John LaFalce and numerous other elected officials.
U.S. President Jimmy Carter waves to CSEA members at our union’s 70th Annual Delegates Meeting in Niagara Falls.
“President Carter was a great humanitarian who did so much for the world in the years after his presidency. He will be missed but not forgotten.”
From left, U.S. President Jimmy Carter greets CSEA President William McGowan at our union’s 70th Annual Delegates Meeting. In the background are, from left, U.S. Rep. John LaFalce and U.S. Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
During his speech, Carter thanked our union for the endorsement and pledged strong support for public employees.
“I know from personal experience the dedication that you bring to your careers of public service,” said Carter during the address. “Most people know that public employees keep our nation safe, our roads
in good condition, our schools open, our water and air clean, our workplaces healthy and safe, our elderly and sick cared for, our laws endorsed and perform countless other necessary services day and night.”
CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan, who at the time was the Herkimer County Local President and chair of our union’s Local Government Executive Committee, literally got a front-row seat to Carter’s address.
“We were all locked in the room about an hour before President Carter spoke,” said Sullivan. “Secret Service was everywhere. I did have the honor of shaking [Carter’s] hand. I don’t think that anything as exciting
had happened in CSEA before.” Sullivan noted that CSEA’s recent
affiliation with AFSCME was a major factor in Carter’s visit, which received much media coverage.
“Video of the event was on the news and I was in the pictures,” said Sullivan. “[My community] and my family were impressed.”
After Carter’s presidency ended, he returned to his family’s home
in Plains, Ga., where he lived until his death. He also advised many subsequent U.S. Presidents in both political parties and engaged in numerous humanitarian projects, including playing a key role in expanding Habitat for Humanity and working on many worldwide human rights efforts. He was also involved in diplomacy, including in the Middle East and North Korea.
“President Carter was a great humanitarian who did so much for the world in the years after his presidency,” said Sullivan. “He will be missed but not forgotten.”
— Janice Gavin
February 2025
The Work Force 7