Lillian Carter

As a public health nurse in Georgia in the 1930’s, the mother of President Jimmy Carter, “Miz Lillian” Carter crossed segregationist barriers to treat and train African-Americans regardless of what her neighbors thought about it. Then, at 68-years-old, she startled even her own family by deciding to join the Peace Corps and serve two years in India. Queried as to whether or not she thought it was wise for an elderly person to be gallivanting around that way, Miz Lillian replied with a smile, “I don't think about risks much. I just do what I want to do. If you gotta go, you gotta go,” proving once again that in-your-face women do…what…they…want.