A forum featuring descendants of six former U.S. presidents, including grandsons of Jimmy Carter and Harry Truman, highlighted Presidents Day weekend at the Harry S. Truman Little White House in Key West.
James Earl Carter IV, Clifton Truman Daniel and other ancestors discussed the importance of historical preservation related to presidencies during the forum at the Little White House, Florida’s only presidential museum.
The sprawling residence was Truman’s refuge for 11 working vacations during his 1945-53 administration — and later welcomed Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter and their family.
In addition to Carter IV and Daniel, the forum also featured Mary Jean Eisenhower, granddaughter of Dwight D. Eisenhower; Tweed Roosevelt, great-grandson of Franklin D. Roosevelt; Ulysses Grant Dietz, great-great-grandson of Ulysses S. Grant; and Massee McKinley, great-great-grandson of Grover Cleveland.
Carter shared that after his grandfather’s passing on Dec. 29, the outpouring of condolences and thanks for the former president's work on humanitarian issues has “been incredible.”
“We've gotten messages from all around the world from obviously world leaders as well as, you know, former world leaders that he may have known from all of his travels after his presidency, but also just random citizens from around the world talking about how much he meant to them,” Carter said.
Jimmy Carter died at age 100, making him the longest-lived U.S. president. Well into his 90s, the family referred to him as “Mr. Action” for his nonstop work on human rights causes and projects, his grandson said. The work stopped, though for annual vacations with the entire extended family.
For Carter IV, those vacations, including several to the Florida Keys and Key West, hold some of his favorite memories.
“We all got to catch up every year and spend time with my grandparents and things — they were so busy that during the rest of the year, you had to make an appointment to be able to see them,” Carter said.
Carter IV was the son of the former president's second son, "Chip" Carter and his wife, Caron. The other Carter children are sons Zack and Jeff and daughter Amy, who was 9 when her father was elected. Carter IV is among 22 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Presented in part by the not-for-profit Key West Harry S. Truman Foundation, Presidential Families Weekend events continue through Monday with two performances of the one-man play “Give ‘Em Hell, Harry,” starring Daniel as his grandfather and a Monday Presidents Day cookout.
The forum is the largest gathering of presidential descendants on Presidents Day Weekend in the United States.
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