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Q: American Presidents of African American Descent ( Answered 4 out of 5 stars,   1 Comment )
Question  
Subject: American Presidents of African American Descent
Category: Relationships and Society > Politics
Asked by: rosie45-ga
List Price: $10.00
Posted: 06 Jul 2004 08:44 PDT
Expires: 05 Aug 2004 08:44 PDT
Question ID: 370296
Plz provide the names and rationale for those people who might be
considered presidents of african american descent.
Answer  
Subject: Re: American Presidents of African American Descent
Answered By: mwalcoff-ga on 06 Jul 2004 09:42 PDT
Rated:4 out of 5 stars
 
Hello,

In 1965, Joel Rogers wrote a book called Five Negro Presidents. In
1993, Auset Bakhufu wrote a book called Six Black Presidents.

Rogers says Jefferson, Harding, Coolidge, Jackson and Lincoln were
part black. Bakhufu's six "presidents" also include Vice President
Hannibal Hamlin.

Sources: Daniel E. Pearson, "Lincolniana Bibliotheca 1993,"
http://webpages.charter.net/lincolnbooks/1993Bibliography.html

KCTCS Diversity Programs, "The History of Black History,"
http://www.kctcs.net/diversityprograms/stolenlegacy.htm

Harding said he could not deny that he had a black ancestor. The
"accusation" had come up in the 1920 presidential election.

Sources: Leroy Vaughn, "5 Black Presidents,"
http://www.geocities.com/cureworks1/5blkpres.htm

Grant Segall, "Magicians' roots reach deep into Ohio," Cleveland Plain
Dealer, 2 July 2004,
http://www.cleveland.com/ohio/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1088760904294480.xml
and discussions on soc.culture.african-american newsgroup

Vaughn cites Volumn 29 of the Virginia Magazine of History (which
would have come out in the 1920s) for the claim that Jackson's real
father was black.

The evidence on Jefferson seems like a real stretch. Vaughn cites an
1867 book, which in turn has an interview with someone who remembered
the 1796 election campaign. In that campaign, a speaker supposedly
accused Jefferson of being part black.

Vaughn's source on Lincoln is supposed to be the president's friend
William Herndon in "The Hidden Lincoln." But Herndon didn't write that
book; it came out in the 1930s and was based on Herdon's papers. (See
Daniel E. Person, review of "Herndon's Informants," eds. Douglas L.
Wilson and Rodney O. Davis,
http://webpages.charter.net/lincolnbooks/HerndonsInformants.html.)

Vaughn takes two tacks on Coolidge: that her mother's maiden name was
"Moor" because she had black ancestors or that she was part Indian.
Coolidge did have Native American ancestors (see Calvin Coolidge
Memorial Foundation, "Calvin Coolidge: The Basic Facts,"
http://www.calvin-coolidge.org/pages/education/facts.html). Bakhufu
claims all New England Indians were part black, so that would give
Coolidge some black ancestry.

I hope this answer suits your needs. If not, please request clarification.

Search strategy:

black president United States
://www.google.fr/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=black+president+United+States

Calvin Coolidge
://www.google.fr/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Calvin+Coolidge

William Herndon Hidden Lincoln
://www.google.fr/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=William+Herndon+Hidden+Lincoln

"Virginia Magazine of History"
://www.google.fr/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22Virginia+Magazine+of+History%22

Rogers five negro presidents Coolidge
://www.google.fr/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Rogers+five+negro+presidents+Coolidge

"six black presidents"
://www.google.fr/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22six+black+presidents%22

Warren Harding black ancestor
://www.google.fr/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Warren+Harding+black+ancestor
rosie45-ga rated this answer:4 out of 5 stars

Comments  
Subject: Re: American Presidents of African American Descent
From: probonopublico-ga on 06 Jul 2004 09:44 PDT
 
Surely, if Adam & Eve were black ...

Then they all are.

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