Whitewashing the uncomfortable parts of the past doesn't just...
Michael Harriot@michaelharriot
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Sep 21, 2025
~5 min read
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Whitewashing the uncomfortable parts of the past doesn't just affect Black stories. For example, you can't fully appreciate how a peanut farmer from Plains, GA became a beloved president unless you know TRUE Black History.
The unwhitewashed history of Jimmy Carter:
A thread.
The unwhitewashed history of Jimmy Carter:
A thread.
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Jimmy Carter was a simple peanut farmer who grew up in Plains, GA when the deep South was defined by racism. His family taught him not to see color. Instead of asking for handouts, they focused on God, education and...
OK, none of that happened.
OK, none of that happened.
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First of all, to understand where Jimmy Carter comes from, you have to go back a few generations. Because you probably already know a few of his cousins.
In fact, he might not even be the most famous person in his family. But I'll let you decide.
In fact, he might not even be the most famous person in his family. But I'll let you decide.
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Like every president before him, Carter's ancestors participated in the race-based, constitutionally enforced human trafficking system that used violence or the threat of violence to extract labor and intellectual property from their constitutionally enforced c from
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The Carters came to America and took advantage of the colonial headrights system, which gave white families free land for every human beings they trafficked to
While they were TECHNICALLY farmers, they weren't good at it.
While they were TECHNICALLY farmers, they weren't good at it.
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So in 1725, Moore Carter moved to NC to take advantage of the headrights system, getting 250 more free acres
Then in 1780, after the Cherokee were forcibly removed to be "Christianized," the Carters moved to GA and got 300 more acres.
Then in 1780, after the Cherokee were forcibly removed to be "Christianized," the Carters moved to GA and got 300 more acres.
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In 1885, Billy Carter was stabbed to death in a fight over a desk. His widow, Jimmy's paternal grandmother, moved the kids to Sumter County, GA. One of the kids was "James Earl," a HS dropout who signed up to fight in WWI, opened a store and met Lillian Gordy
Where'd she come from?
Where'd she come from?
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In 1854, James T. Gordy impregnated a woman he enslaved, Esther Johnson. She gave birth to her son...
Berry Gordy I, the grandfather the founder of Motown Records.
In 1864, James T. & his slaveowning buddies signed up with the Confederate Army to protect their human property
Berry Gordy I, the grandfather the founder of Motown Records.
In 1864, James T. & his slaveowning buddies signed up with the Confederate Army to protect their human property
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Just before he left his family in the failed attempt at creating a new white supremacist country, his wife gave birth to Jim Jack Gordy, Jimmy's paternal grandfather.
Jim Jack was a liberal who worked at the post office & organized for a "fusion" party for poor whites & Blacks.
Jim Jack was a liberal who worked at the post office & organized for a "fusion" party for poor whites & Blacks.
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People of all races & religions would stop by his house - from William Decker Johnson, who Jim Jack kept pushing to become a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, to local white physician, Dr. Sam Wise
Jim Jack's daughter Lily wanted to become a nurse but WWI ended
Jim Jack's daughter Lily wanted to become a nurse but WWI ended
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Her daddy was like: "Why don't you work for Dr. Wise?" So Lily moved to Plains GA & began training at the Wise Sanitarium, where James Earl Carter was on the board.
Wise hooked Lily up w/James Earl but Lily wasn't ready to get married. James Earl wasn't exactly rich, plus...
Wise hooked Lily up w/James Earl but Lily wasn't ready to get married. James Earl wasn't exactly rich, plus...
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Plus, to graduate, she had to move to ATL to care for "Grady's Babies"
If you're not Black and from the South, you probably don't know what I just said:
Lily Carter became a nurse by working w/Black patients at a Black hospital in a Black neighborhood
If you're not Black and from the South, you probably don't know what I just said:
Lily Carter became a nurse by working w/Black patients at a Black hospital in a Black neighborhood
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Segregation was THE LAW in GA. Grady was one of the only hospitals in the STATE where Black people could get cancer treatment or have a baby delivered without a midwife. Lily returned to Plains, married James Earl and got a job as a surgical nurse...
For white patients
For white patients
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But remember, Lily had grown up in a house that welcomed Black people. She had worked at Grady's babies. So in 1922, Wise Sanitorium board member James Earl Carter signed a $5000 loan to build a wing of the hospital for Black patients.
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On Oct. 1, 1924, as Georgia Governor Clifford Walker delivered the keynote address to the national convention of the Ku Klux Klan, James Earl Carter became the first president to be born in a hospital.
That's also why Lily Carter had a reputation for treating Black patients
That's also why Lily Carter had a reputation for treating Black patients
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To this day, aside from Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter is still the only president who was born in a medical facility that treated Black patients.
When Jimmy was 4 years old, the Carters left Plains
Wait? How is "the man from Plains" not from Plains
Whitewashing
When Jimmy was 4 years old, the Carters left Plains
Wait? How is "the man from Plains" not from Plains
Whitewashing
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Remember the preacher who was friends with Lily's dad? William Decker Johnson became a bishop and started the Sublime Order of the Archery to build an HBCU and start the all-Black town of Archery GA
Well, there were TWO white families, the railroad guy...
And the Carters.
Well, there were TWO white families, the railroad guy...
And the Carters.
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Jimmy Carter didn't learn to embrace all races, he didn't know "all races." He grew up around Black people.
You know who can explain it better?
Jimmy Carter
You know who can explain it better?
Jimmy Carter
1:38
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Kids could take college classes at the Black school in Archery, where the Carters lived. Jimmy was a great student and wanted to attend the Naval Academy. But remember, racial segregation was THE LAW.
So he attended the all-white county school that only went to the 11th grade
So he attended the all-white county school that only went to the 11th grade
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Then he graduated and went to community college and transferred to GA Tech and finally got into the Naval Academy.
It's quite possible that Jimmy could've gone straight to the Naval Academy if he had gone to a better school...
The Black school.
Racism hurts WHITE PEOPLE TOO
It's quite possible that Jimmy could've gone straight to the Naval Academy if he had gone to a better school...
The Black school.
Racism hurts WHITE PEOPLE TOO
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To be fair, Black people experienced the same discrimination. Like Wesley Anthony Brown, for instance. He went to Howard University first before he transferred. But an inferior school didn't keep him out of the Naval Academy, segregation did
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But he eventually became the first Balck graduate of the Naval Academy, where he literally ran with a guy named Jimmy Carter.
Not only did Jimmy Carter hang with the first Black Naval Academy graduate, to this day he is the ONLY president y
Not only did Jimmy Carter hang with the first Black Naval Academy graduate, to this day he is the ONLY president y
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WHo served active duty in ANY BRANCH of the desegregated military.
He was served with the Black woman in the Navy
Anyway, there's more but I gotta go
He was served with the Black woman in the Navy
Anyway, there's more but I gotta go
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STOP WHITEWASHING HISTORY
You might learn something about yourself
STOP WHITEWASHING HISTORY
You might learn something about yourself
