President Carter National Day of Mourning

In observance of U.S. National Day of Mourning, the Hungarian-American Fulbright Commission for Educational Exchange would like to commemorate the legacy of the 39th President, James Earl (Jimmy) Carter.

His presidency left a significant mark on Hungary, where he is remembered for returning the Holy Crown to the people of Hungary in 1978. A symbol of a thousand years of Hungarian statehood, the Crown had been in U.S. custody at Fort Knox since the end of WWII.

The event and the resultant good feeling enabled the first Fulbright grants in 1979.

President Carter traveled to Budapest in 1996 as the keynote speaker of the Spirit of Global Understanding conference (picture) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Global Fulbright program.

The Humphrey Fellowship Program was also founded by President Carter in 1978 with the intent to create a program that embodied the values of democracy, social justice, and a desire to assist the world’s developing nations.

His death marks the end of an era, leaving behind a legacy of compassion, moral clarity, and service.