born and raised in plains, georgia, carter graduated from the united states naval academy in 1946 with a bachelor of science degree and joined the united states navy. in 1953, carter left the military and returned home to georgia to take charge of the family's peanut-growing business. carter was against racial segregation and support the growing civil rights movement. he became an activist in the democratic party. from 1963 to 1967, carter was in the georgia state senate, and in 1970, he was elected as governor of georgia. he was governor until 1975.