- An local Carter historian said the 39th President of the United States spent a lot of time campaigning in Tallahassee.
- The Leon County Democratic Party held a memorial to remember President Carter.
- Watch the video to learn more about his connections to our area:
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Tallahassee neighbors joined in the national day of mourning for President Jimmy Carter.
At the Lake Ella gazebo, neighbors gathered to honor the 39th President of the United States.
"There are a lot of Jimmy Carter fans in Tallahassee," said Robert Buccellato.
Buccellato wrote the book "Jimmy Carter in Plains."
Through his research, he learned a lot about the president and his connections to the Capital City.
"Jimmy Carter was here on many many occasions. He was such an unknown and because he was an outsider candidate, he didn't have a lot of endorsements," Buccellato said standing in front of the Historic State Capitol. "He really had to court all of the people that were elected in the building behind me."
Carter fostered friendships with Governors Reubin Askew and Bob Graham.
Askew earned a position in his cabinet.
"They were two of the most important figures of the new south, this idea, this move away from the Jim Crow South into a time of racial desegregation," Buccellato said. "Atlanta and Tallahassee, they really were the two poles, they were the two capitols of that movement."
Buccellato shared some of those pieces of history and more at a memorial hosted by the Leon County Democratic Party.
Local party chair Ryan Ray said Carter's character was worthy of honor.
"In today's politics, someone who is contemplative, someone who is thoughtful, someone who is above reproach when it came to ethics, integrity and was just a sincerely good person, I think we can never have too much celebration of that," Ray said.
That's why neighbor Ron Georgalis said he came out.
"My reason for coming out is that I can't help but admire his spirit of altruism," Georgalis said.
Buccellato said he hopes Carter's spirit continues to inspire others.
"When they say it's a true American story, it's important for everybody to remember that can be your story too," Buccellato said.
In all, about 40 neighbors came out to pay their respects to President Carter.
