‘Determination that never stopped’: the life of Rosalynn Carter

Born into rural Depression life and dubbed Steel Magnolia' by Washington, the former first lady was known for her soft smile and passion for politics

The Washington chattering class, often unsure what to make of outsiders, dubbed Rosalynn Carter the steel magnolia" when she arrived as first lady.

A devout Baptist and mother of four, she was diminutive and outwardly shy, with a soft smile and softer Southern accent. That was the magnolia". She also was a force behind Jimmy Carter's rise from peanut farmer to winner of the 1976 presidential election. That was the steel".