James Earl Carter was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia. His father, James Carter Sr., was a farmer and a local public official. His mother was a Peace Corps volunteer. Jimmy grew up working in the fields to help bring in money and attended public schools in Plains, Georgia. After high school, he attended the Georgia Institute of Technology before being accepted into the U.S. Naval Academy in 1943. He graduated from the academy in 1946.