State Funeral for former President Jimmy Carter: Sequence of Events for January 7, 2025

WASHINGTON –

The State Funeral for former President Jimmy Carter continues tomorrow in Georgia and Washington, D.C.

Ceremonies celebrating and honoring the late president include: a departure ceremony from the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta; a departure ceremony from Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia; an arrival ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; a funeral procession from the U.S. Navy Memorial to the U.S. Capitol; and an arrival ceremony and service at the U.S. Capitol. The day concludes with Carter lying in state at the U.S. Capitol from 7 p.m. to midnight.

The Carter Family invites the public to honor and celebrate the life of former President Carter tomorrow along the funeral procession route on Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues, and during lying in state at the U.S. Capitol.

In Washington, D.C., Carter’s grandchildren serve as honorary pallbearers and participate in ceremonies at the U.S. Capitol. A Special Honor Guard – consisting of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Chief of Space Operations, Commandant of the Coast Guard, and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, or their representatives - also participates in all D.C. ceremonies.

Full details on each ceremony site follow. Additional information regarding the official schedule of events and locations where the public may pay their respects are available at jtfncr.mdw.army.mil/statefunerals/.

Details on prohibited items and road closures, parking restrictions, transit impacts are available at nsse.dc.gov.

*Notes: All times are subject to change; the public should plan to be in place at least an hour in advance of announced times.

Carter Presidential Center
Public visitation of the late president lying in repose concludes at 7 a.m. The late president then departs from Carter Presidential Center following a ceremony in the Circle of Flags at approximately 11 a.m. Following the ceremony, the motorcade departs from the Carter Presidential Center to Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia, at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Carter Center and Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum staff, volunteers, interns, graduate assistants, library docents, catering and Goodwill staff, and their families will pay their respects to the late president during the ceremony as they span the Circle of Flags and observe Carter’s final departure from his beloved Carter Presidential Center.

Sequence of events are as follows:

Motorcade arrives and positions in the Circle of Flags at approximately 11 a.m.
Military ceremonial troops march into position around 11:15 a.m.
At approximately 11:30 a.m., the body bearers carry Carter’s remains out of the Carter Presidential Center.
Ceremonial troops present arms and render honors (four Ruffles and Flourishes, and Hail to the Chief). Immediately following honors, the 282nd Army Band begins playing Amazing Grace and then, Blessed Assurance. On the first note of the first hymn, the procession moves through the honor cordon, up the walkway to the Circle of Flags. Order of march: national color, clergy, body bearers carrying Carter’s remains, presidential color, and family with military escort.
The body bearer team reaches the rear of the hearse and places the casket inside.
Once the casket is placed in the hearse, the Carter Family loads into the motorcade and departs for Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia.

Dobbins Air Reserve Base
The late president and his family arrive at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia, at 12:10 p.m., for a departure ceremony. Special guests invited by the Carter Family to observe the ceremony include friends of the Carters, The Carter Center Board of Councilors, Gov. Brian Kemp, and local elected officials. Immediately following the ceremony, the family boards Special Air Mission 39, flown by the Presidential Airlift Group of the 89th Airlift Wing, and departs the airfield for Washington, D.C., at 12:45 p.m.

Sequence of events are as follows:

Motorcade arrives and positions on the flightline for the departure ceremony.
Family disembarks from their vehicles and moves into position to observe the departure ceremony. Once family is in position, the body bearer team begin removing the casket from the hearse.
Ceremonial troops present arms and render honors (four Ruffles and Flourishes, Hail to the Chief, and a 21-gun salute).
Immediately following honors, the U.S. Army’s Maneuver Center of Excellence Band begins playing Nearer My God, to Thee. On the first note of the hymn, the body bearer team carries the late president’s remains through the honor cordon to the aircraft loader. Order of march: national color, clergy, body bearer team with Carter’s remains, and presidential color.
The body bearers then place the casket on the aircraft loader, the casket moves out-of-sight, and the family begins to board the aircraft.
Once the aircraft is ready, Special Air Mission 39 departs Dobbins Air Reserve Base for Washington, D.C.

Joint Base Andrews
Special Air Mission 39 arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, at approximately 2:15 p.m. where Carter’s remains are transferred with ceremony to the hearse. Immediately following the ceremony, the motorcade departs the airfield for the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Sequence of events are as follows:

Special Air Mission 39 arrives, taxis, parks, and the aircraft loader and passenger stairs move into position.
Ceremonial participants, including the Special Honor Guard, move into position.
Family disembarks from the aircraft and moves into position to observe the arrival ceremony.
The military body bearer team removes the casket from the aircraft loader.
Ceremonial troops present arms and render honors (four Ruffles and Flourishes, Hail to the Chief, and a 21-gun salute).
Immediately following honors, the U.S. Air Force Band begins playing Abide with Me. On the first note of the hymn, the body bearer team marches through the honor cordon and places the casket in the hearse. Order of march: national color, clergy, body bearers, and presidential color.
Once the casket is secure in the hearse, the family loads into the motorcade and departs the flightline for the U.S. Navy Memorial at approximately 2:45 p.m.

Funeral Procession
Carter and his family arrive at the U.S. Navy Memorial for a transfer ceremony and funeral procession up to the U.S. Capitol at 3:30 p.m. The casket transfer ceremony includes the transfer of Carter’s remains from the hearse to a horse drawn caisson, a formation of Midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy, and musical support from the U.S. Navy Band. Secretary of the Navy, The Honorable Carlos Del Toro, and Superintendent of the Naval Academy, Vice Adm. Yvette M. Davids, are also in attendance. Immediately following the transfer of Carter’s remains to a horse-drawn caisson is a funeral procession designed to mirror Carter’s inaugural parade where Carter and his family walked on foot from the U.S. Capitol to the White House on Jan. 20, 1977. The funeral procession includes: a military honor cordon lining Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues; a military formation consisting of The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” and marching elements from each of the Armed Services in existence during Carter’s Administration; the motorcade; national and presidential colors; clergy; a horse-drawn caisson carrying Carter’s remains with military body bearers escorting; and a caparisoned horse. Members of the Carter Family will also walk behind the caisson as it makes it way from the U.S. Navy Memorial to the U.S. Capitol.

Sequence of events are as follows:

Ceremonial participants move into position in front of the U.S. Navy Memorial.
Clergy and the Special Honor Guard disembark from their vehicles and move to their positions.
Motorcade arrives and positions in front of the U.S. Navy Memorial
The military’s honor cordon lining the streets comes to attention.
Family disembarks from their vehicles and move into position to observe the casket transfer ceremony. Once family is in position, the rear hearse door opens, and the body bearers and color teams move to the rear of the hearse.
The casket is removed from the hearse. Ceremonial troops then present arms and render honors (four Ruffles and Flourishes and Hail to the Chief).
Immediately following honors, the U.S. Navy Band begins playing Just as I am, Without One Plea. On the first note of the hymn, the body bearer team moves to the caisson and places the casket on the caisson.
Family members walking the procession route move into position while other family members return to their vehicles as the body bearer team secures the casket on the caisson.
Once the caisson is secure, the Special Honor Guard returns to their vehicles and the clergy, national and presidential color teams, and the caparisoned horse move into position for the procession.
The funeral procession begins. Order of march: Military Honor Guard, advance motorcade, National Color Guard, clergy, caisson with body bearer team, presidential color, caparisoned horse, and motorcade.
The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” plays God Bless America, Flowers of the Forest, and Our Fallen Heroes as the funeral procession makes it way to the U.S. Capitol. As the late president moves through the Street Honor Cordon, military personnel render a hand salute until the caparisoned horse passes.
The procession reaches the north barricade, and after a brief pause, moves onto the Capitol Plaza at approximately 4:10 p.m.

U.S. Capitol
Upon arrival at the U.S. Capitol, the late president is carried by military body bearers into the Rotunda where members of Congress will pay their respects during a service at 4:30 p.m. Invited dignitaries Vice President of the United States; members of Congress; the Supreme Court, Governors and the Mayor of DC, The Cabinet, the Diplomatic Corps, and the Joint Chiefs.

Senator John Thune, the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate; Representative Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; and the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris deliver eulogies and lay wreaths during the service. Musical selections include My Country, Tis of Thee and Eternal Father, Strong to Save (The Navy Hymn) sung by the U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club. The service also includes an invocation from Chaplain of the U.S. Senate Barry C. Black, and a benediction from the Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives, Margaret G. Kibben.

Additionally, prelude and postlude music for the service is performed by the U.S. Army Brass Quintet.

Sequence of events are as follows:

Ceremonial participants move into position on the Capitol Plaza and along the steps leading up to the East Doors as the funeral procession reaches the north barricade.
Advance motorcade arrives; the Special Honor Guard disembarks from their vehicles and move to their positions.
The horse-drawn caisson moves onto the Capitol Plaza, followed by the motorcade.
Family disembarks from their vehicles and moves into the U.S. Capitol while honorary pallbearers position at the base of the Capitol steps. Once the immediate family and honorary pallbearers are in position, ceremonial troops present arms and render honors (four Ruffles and Flourishes, Hail to the Chief, and a 21-gun salute).
Immediately following honors, The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” begins playing God of our Fathers and then O God Our Help in Ages Past. On the first note of the first hymn, the body bearer team begins removing the casket from the hearse and marches towards the Capitol steps.
As the procession reaches the steps, the Special Honor Guard and clergy move into position and the procession continues marching up the steps. The honorary pallbearers join the end of the procession once presidential colors pass them. At the top of the steps, the surviving members of Carter’s Cabinet and Carter Family follow the honorary pallbearers into the U.S. Capitol. Order of march: Special Honor Guard, national color, clergy, body bearers, presidential color, honorary pallbearers, surviving members of Carter’s Cabinet, and the Carter Family with military escort.
The procession moves inside the U.S. Capitol and pauses once inside the East Doors to reposition and prepare to enter the Rotunda.
The doors to the Rotunda open and the Special Honor Guard and clergy enter and move to their seats.
Once the remaining procession is ready, the Rotunda doors open and the Senate and House Sergeants at Arms lead the body bearer team carrying the late president to the center of the Rotunda, the family follows and goes to their seats, and the body bearer team proceeds to the center of the Rotunda to place the casket on the Lincoln Catafalque.
The body bearer team and national and presidential colors exit the Rotunda.
A military guard of honor is posted, and the service begins.
Upon conclusion of the service, the family exits the Rotunda and dignitaries in attendance file by the casket to pay their respects.

Carter then lies in state while the military maintains a guard of honor. The public is invited to pay their respects from 6 p.m. to midnight at the U.S. Capitol.

Additionally, at the invitation of the Carter Family, democratic and republican members of Capitol Hill and White House staff during the Carter Administration will pay their respects to the late president as he lies in state between 7 to 9 p.m.

Lines may be long, and all individuals are subject to a security search. Please allow for ample time for security procedures. Additional information on accessing the U.S. Capitol and prohibited items is available at nsse.dc.gov.

Editor’s notes:

Any media queries regarding the state funeral security plan or impacts should be directed to National Special Security Event Joint Information Center at nsse.jic@dc.gov.
All requests to cover the State Funeral arrival ceremony, service, and departure ceremony at the U.S. Capitol must be submitted to the Capitol Galleries at: Press Photographers Gallery, (202) 224-6548, press_photo@saa.senate.gov; Senate Radio-TV Gallery, (202) 224-6421, SenateRTVG@saa.senate.gov; Senate Daily Press Gallery (202) 224-0241, Senate_Press_Gallery@saa.senate.gov; Senate Periodical Press Gallery, (202) 224-0265, periodicals@saa.senate.gov.
The Carter Presidential Center is made up of The Carter Center, 453 John Lewis Freedom Parkway, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30307, and The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, 441 John Lewis Freedom Parkway NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30307.
All street closures and listed times are subject to change based upon prevailing or unexpected conditions. A full list of closures is available at nsse.dc.gov.
The family’s official condolence book and a tribute to the life and legacy of former President Carter is available at www.jimmycartertribute.org.