Amy Carter | Photos, Biography | Jimmy Carter’s Daughter

Summary

Amy Carter also known as Amy Lynn Carter, born on October 19, 1967, in Plains, Georgia, is the daughter of the 39th U.S. president, Jimmy Carter, and his first lady, Rosalynn Carter. Unique experiences marked her early years as she resided in the White House during her father’s presidency, becoming the first child to do so since John F. Kennedy’s era.

Amy Carter Facts

Born:	October 19, 1967, Plains, Georgia, U.S.
Political Part:	Democratic
Spouse:	James Gregory Wentzel​​ (1996 – 2005)​ > John Joseph Kelly ​ ( m. 2007)​
Children:	Hugo James Wentzel
Brother:	Donnel Carter > Jack > James III

Early Life and Education

Amy’s childhood was spent in Plains until her father was elected governor of Georgia in 1970. Her family then moved into the Georgia Governor’s Mansion in Atlanta. At nine, she transitioned to life in the White House when her father became the U.S. president.

During her four years in the White House, Amy attended public schools in Washington, including Stevens Elementary School and Rose Hardy Middle School. After her father’s presidency, she completed her senior year of high school at Woodward Academy in College Park, Georgia.

Her academic journey led her to Brown University, though she faced academic challenges and ultimately achieved a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree from the Memphis College of Art. She later pursued her passion and earned a master’s in art history from Tulane University in New Orleans in 1996.

Life in the White House

Amy Carter’s presence in the White House garnered significant media attention, given that young children hadn’t resided there since the Kennedy era. She had a Siamese cat named Misty Malarky Ying Yang and even received an elephant from Sri Lanka, which was donated to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. During her time in the White House, Amy enjoyed roller-skating through the East Room and had a treehouse on the South Lawn, where Secret Service agents would keep an eye on her slumber parties with friends.

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Mary Prince, an African-American woman, acted as her nanny for most of her childhood, initially taking on this role through a prison release program in Georgia. Amy did not receive the same level of privacy as later presidential children, and her father once mentioned her during a 1980 debate with Ronald Reagan, highlighting her perspective on nuclear arms control.

Advocacy Efforts

After her White House years, Amy Carter embraced political activism. During the 1980s and early 1990s, she participated in sit-ins and protests focused on changing U.S. foreign policy, particularly towards South African apartheid and Central America. In 1986, she, along with activist Abbie Hoffman and others, was arrested during a demonstration at the University of Massachusetts Amherst for protesting CIA recruitment. She was acquitted of all charges in a well-publicized trial in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Personal Life and Contributions

Apart from frBesidesivism, Amy illustrated her father’s children’s book, “The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer,” which was written in 1995. In September 1996, she married computer consultant James Gregory Wentzel, with whom she had a son, Hugo James Wentzel.

He has recently maintained a low profile and refrained from public protests and interviews. Nevertheless, she continues to contribute to advocacy efforts as a member of the board of counselors of the Carter Center. This organization advocates for human rights and diplomacy, in line with her father’s legacy.

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