The following is from the introduction to LIFE’s special tribute issue, Jimmy Carter: A Noble Life, which is available online and at newsstands.

Experience LIFE's visual record of the 20th century by exploring the most iconic photographs from one of the most famous private photo collections in the world.

See photographs and read stories about global icons - the actors, athletes, politicians, and community members that make our world come to life.

In 1940 LIFE staff photographer Hansel Mieth ventured to Idaho for a story in a similar vein. Here the central figures were the loggers. Mieth captured these men gathering timber from the forests and shepherding those fallen trees down the river to a lumber mill.

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Here are a few selections from LIFE’s new special issue 100 Photographs: The Most Important Pictures Ever and the Stories Behind Them

In an age when attaining a satisfying work-life balance seems virtually impossible, and at a time when everyone is constantly asked to do more, achieve more, be better or risk feeling less than, Garfield serves as a potent reminder that some days, …

Explore History within the LIFE photography vault, one of the most prestigious & privately held archives from the US & around the World.

Subscribe to the LIFE Newsletter. Travel back in time with treasured photos and stories, sent right to your inbox. Join Today

Subscribe to the LIFE Newsletter. Travel back in time with treasured photos and stories, sent right to your inbox. Join Today