ACS Honors the Life and Legacy of President Jimmy Carter

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nancy Rodriguez, media@acslaw.org

Washington, DC — American Constitution Society President Russ Feingold released the following statement in response to the news of President Jimmy Carter’s passing.

“The ACS community extends its deepest condolences to the Carter family on the passing of President Jimmy Carter. President Carter demonstrated what it is to live a life of public service. He devoted his life to addressing poverty and fostering democracy, creating and leading the Carter Center, and living the values he promoted.

He was also one of the first Presidents to prioritize diversity on the federal bench. Before President Carter, only eight women and 31 people of color had ever been appointed to the federal bench. During his presidency, he nominated 40 women and 57 people of color to the judiciary, including eight women of color. We are reminded of what Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said: ‘After Carter, things never went back to the old ways. The first time I ever thought of being a judge was when Jimmy Carter announced to the world that he wanted to change the complexion of the U.S. judiciary, which he did.’

We are grateful for President Carter’s contributions to the courts and his decades of public service. We honor the legacy he leaves behind in the continued work of the Carter Center.”

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MERICAN CONSTITUTION SOCIETY
The American Constitution Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit, non-partisan legal organization. Through a diverse nationwide network of progressive lawyers, law students, judges, scholars, advocates, and many others, our mission is to support and advocate for laws and legal systems that redress the founding failures of our Constitution, strengthen our democratic legitimacy, uphold the rule of law, and realize the promise of equality for all, including people of color, women, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, and other historically excluded communities. For more information, visit us at www.acslaw.org.