Lists about the period of United States history that allowed for human enslavement, from early colonial days until the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. Later in life, Grant came to condemn the institution and even called it "a stain to the Union. Ulysses S Grant #18 was the last slaveowner to become president. (Credit: Buyenlarge/Getty Images). SLAVE CURRENCY: African Slave Trade Beads In Africa, trade beads were used in West Africa by Europeans who got them from Venice, Holland, and Bohemia. William Henry Harrison owned several inherited enslaved people before becoming president in 1841, while John Tyler and James K. Polk were both enslavers during their stints in office. Washington standing among African American field workers harvesting grain. George Washington owned slaves while president.. 2. Johnson was a wealthy landowner in Tennessee, where he acquired slaves. Term: 1801-1809, Party: Democratic-Republican. Though widely considered to be forward-thinking religious, intellectual, and political leaders in the 18th and 19th centuries, they failed to align their practices with their ideals—embodying the tensions between liberty and slavery that characterized American life from the colonial period to the Civil War. Polk brought some of his slaves to Washington, D.C. As president, however, he advocated limiting the spread of the practice. How The Commander Of The Union Army Died Broke, The Greatest American Writers of All Time. Zachary Taylor was the last president who owned slaves during his presidency.. 13. During his time in Congress, he strongly advocated in favor of owning slaves and believed this to be a constitutional right. However, politically, Taylor had some abolitionist views. In January 1829, less than two months before he became president, Andrew Jackson ordered an inventory of his slaves. 6 Widow C. Richards And Son P.C. Jefferson owned over 600 slaves. Here's a list of American presidents canceled by progressives ... Jefferson owned slaves and came under fire during demonstrations last year. Johnson began emancipating his own slaves, however, in 1863. Thomas Jefferson elected to a second term Thomas Jefferson, Democrat, wins the election of 1804 Dec 31, 1808. James Monroe owned slaves while president.. 6. It’s rather self-serving to claim that “white people” ended … James Madison owned slaves while president.. 5. He still argued only white men should have roles in the government, but condemned the practice for slowing societal progress. He opposed creating … This is a list of Presidents of the United States who owned slaves.Slavery in the United … Not only did enslaved laborers help build the White House all of the earliest presidents (except for John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams) owned enslaved people. He owned some 150 enslaved workers on plantations in Kentucky, Mississippi and Louisiana. Democrats owned slaves.' Zachary Taylor owned no more than 150 slaves and was the last president to keep slaves during his presidency. Thomas Jefferson owned hundreds of slaves at his plantation, and even fathered children with his slave Sally Hemings. From then until 1933, twelve of the U.S.' 16 presidents belonged to the Republican Party, while just four* were from the Democratic Party. Princeton’s first nine presidents all owned slaves at some point in their lives. 'As … Taylor had numerous plantations in Kentucky, Mississippi, and Louisiana. William Henry Harrison owned slaves, but not while he was president. 1 When President-elect Jackson left for the White House, he brought some of these enslaved people … Slave Trader Andrew Jackson Many presidents who owned slaves found it abhorrent to sell one, … To inform yourself on the history of slavery, you'll find a list of presidents who owned slaves below. John Adams, the second president, did not own slaves. Thomas Jefferson owned slaves while president.. 4. neither of them owned slaves while serving as president. Ulysses S. Grant owned anywhere from one to five slaves, although some likely belonged to his wife Julia. George Washington: The first president enslaved people for most of his life, beginning at the age of 11 when he "inherited" 10 enslaved farmworkers upon the death of his father. Like all deep historical blemishes, however, it's important to be as educated as possible about slavery in the United States, both to commemorate the suffering of victims and to learn about the roots of prejudice and oppression. 1. Grant would later sum up his evolving views on slavery in 1878, when he was quoted as saying that it was “a stain to the Union” that people had once been “bought and sold like cattle.”. Millard Fillmore did not own slaves. "3. Portrait of Isaac Jefferson, an enslaved man owned by Thomas Jefferson circa 1847. The last president to own slaves at all was the eighteenth president, Ulysses S. … Perhaps surprisingly, the last two presidents to own enslaved workers were both men closely associated with Abraham Lincoln, who led the nation during a civil war caused in large part by the divisions sowed by slavery, and later signed the Emancipation Proclamation and championed passage of the 13th Amendment ending slavery. Andrew Johnson, who served as Lincoln’s vice president before becoming president in 1865, had owned at least half a dozen enslaved people in his native Tennessee and even lobbied for Lincoln to exclude the state from the Emancipation Proclamation. Richards. expansion of the Missouri Compromise line further west. #285 of 347 The Most Important Leaders In World History#198 of 410 The Most Important Military Leaders in World History#35 of 45 The Greatest U.S. Presidents Of All Time. Julia had at least four slaves - Eliza, Julia, John, and Dan - but whether or not ownership transferred to her husband remains unclear. The last president to own slaves while in office was the twelfth president, Zachary Taylor (1849-1850). "2. 'Democrats founded the KKK.' Carter G. Woodson, author of the cited study, who is often referred to as “the father of Black history.” by David Sims. Home President's Office Issues and Initiatives Institutional History Working Group on African-American History Timeline of African Americans at W&L List of John Robinson Slaves List of Robinson Slaves 1826 The image below is a list of "negroes belonging to the Estate of … Of the next three presidents (#16-18) two owned slaves. Andrew Johnson owned about eight slaves, but none while he was president. 14. Zachary Taylor, who served from 1849-1850, was the last chief executive to keep enslaved people while living in the White House. During the course of history, 12 US presidents were slave owners. Thomas Jefferson oversaw the acquisition of… The “peculiar institution” loomed large over the first few decades of American presidential history. In 1860, slave owners, white or black, owned around one to five slaves on average. In addition to Washington and Jackson, at least 10 other U.S. presidents owned slaves, including eight who owned slaves during their presidencies. The president of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States, indirectly elected to a four-year term by the American people through the Electoral College.The officeholder leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.. George Washington, leader of the revolution and the first President of the United States, owned many slaves throughout his lifetime, with 123* at the time of his death. And there were Republicans living and voting in some of the slave-holding states of the Upper South. About 28 percent of the free black population in New Orleans at the time owned slaves, with at least six owning 65 or more.. C. Richards and her son P.C. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. GraphicaArtis/Getty Images. Martin Van Buren owned slaves, but not while he was president. While many presidents, like Ulysses S. Grant, came around and eventually and liberated their slaves, it does not change the fact they participated in a terrible act of oppression. 10. He even pushed for Tennessee's exemption from the Emancipation Proclamation. As a landowner in Tennessee, Polk had numerous slaves at his disposal. Of these, eight held enslaved people while in office. So while Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe were all considered patriots who valued liberty, they all enslaved African people to steal their labor. #2028 of 2,443 The Most Influential People of All Time#41 of 44 Which US Presidents Do You Wish Were In Charge Right Now?#42 of 44 US Presidents Who Are Worthy Enough To Wield Mjolnir. US Presidents Who Are Worthy Enough To Wield Mjolnir, The Most Important Leaders In World History, The Most Important Military Leaders in World History. Slavery represents one of the darkest eras in American history. The last president who ever owned slaves was, ironically, Ulysses S. Grant, elected in 1868 after he had commanded Union forces to victory over … James Madison, James Monroe and Andrew Jackson each kept several dozen enslaved workers, and Martin Van Buren owned one during his early career. HERE ARE A FEW selections from Free Negro Owners of Slaves in the United States in 1830 by Carter G. Woodson (published in 1924), along with a few notes by me.. 'Democrats opposed the 13th Amendment, the 14th Amendment, the 15th Amendment.' This statistical report on the free Negro ownership of slaves was made possible in 1921 when the Director … Franklin himself had owned slaves, run ads in his Pennsylvania Gazette to secure the return of fugitive slaves, and defended the honour of slaveholding revolutionaries. The last president to personally own enslaved people was Ulysses S. Grant, who served two terms between 1869 and 1877. Taylor had numerous plantations in Kentucky, Mississippi, and Louisiana. While we cannot change the past, we can learn from it going forward. John Tyler owned slaves while president. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. George Washington kept some 300 bondsmen at his Mount Vernon plantation. John Quincy Adams #6, Millard Fillmore #13, Franklin Pierce #14, James Buchanan #15, and Abraham Lincoln #16 did not own slaves. James K. Polk owned slaves while president. #671 of 753 People We Wish Were Still Alive#1215 of 1,355 The Greatest Minds of All Time#26 of 45 Who Would Win In An Ultimate Presidential Fist Fight? go above and beyond these other six slave owners by owning over twice as many. While it's hard to believe, there were many US presidents who owned slaves and even actively participated in the slave trade. https://www.alternet.org/2015/03/six-most-evil-presidents-us-history He sold his Tennessee land in 1834 and moved to Mississippi, where he began purchasing more slaves to work his land. Number of slaves owned by U.S. presidents … Grant did purchase one slave, William Jones, shortly before the Civil War, but emancipated him in 1859. All told, at least 12 chief executives—over a quarter of all American presidents—enslaved people during their lifetimes. Who Would Win In An Ultimate Presidential Fist Fight? Which US Presidents Do You Wish Were In Charge Right Now? ", How The Commander Of The Union Army Died Broke#128 of 342 The Greatest American Writers of All Time#30 of 101 The Most Beloved US Veterans. All Rights Reserved. Franklin Pierce did not own slaves. Zachary Taylor owned no more than 150 slaves and was the last president to keep slaves during his presidency.