The ninth in a series on presidential libraries focused on the life and career of James Earl Carter, Jr. through rarely seen film and sound recordings, as well as letters, documents and artifacts collected from the stacks and vaults of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta, Georgia. Library officials conducted a tour of the library and responded to telephone calls and electronic mail. Series historian and consultant Richard Norton Smith participated from the studio in Washington, D.C.

Highlighted film, sound, documents, and artifacts featured during the show focused on President Carter’s rise from “outsider candidate” to victory in the 1976 presidential election and the major foreign and domestic policy initiatives of his presidency, energy policy, the Middle East peace process, the Iran hostage crisis, and the Panama Canal. Included were a film created by the Carter campaign to play on his outsider status in the 1976 election; President Carter’s first televised address to the nation as president in which he attempted to revive the Roosevelt legacy of the fireside chat talking about energy policy, as well a unique speech on solar energy from the roof of the White House; and rare behind-the-scenes film shot by Navy film crews from the Camp David summit meeting with the leaders of Egypt and Israel, from inside the Oval Office on Carter’s last day as president as he works to get the hostages freed from Iran, and of President Carter in Panama touring the canal.

C-SPAN’s Presidential Libraries: History Uncovered was a 12-week series airing live on location from the 12 presidential libraries spanning Herbert Hoover to Bill Clinton.