In the third edition on the Twitter Presidents Series, the men who held the highest office in the latter-half of the nineteenth century had the difficult task of uniting the nation following a bloody crisis. The defeat of the Confederate states in April 1865 meant that bridging the once-frigid differences between the North and South fell on the shoulders of Lincoln's successors... and with little success. A racial hierarchy was established in the South after the Compromise of 1877, enforced by the Black Codes (renamed Jim Crow Laws) and the Ku Klux Klan. In failing to address discrimination as well as the growing political influence of industry titans, these seasoned officials are considered some of our weakest leaders and most served only one presidential term. Also, the nation came to grips with presidential violence as two of these men were assassinated (Lincoln and Garfield). During this age of economic growth, urban life, land expansion, and corporate greediness (historians suitably label this as the Gilded Age), the presidents oversaw a fairly-stable economy (integrated with few financial upsets) and a variety of domestic issues -- it would not be until the next crop of leaders in the next century when the United States began spreading its wings around the globe. All images are portraits found in the National Portrait Gallery in D.C., author's collections.
Abraham Lincoln-America’s favorite president. A humble lawyer from Illinois, Lincoln rose through the ranks, sparring against the great orator Stephen A. Douglas and winning the 1860 election with 1/3 support. Stressed & tired, Lincoln persevered through a war and won our hearts. (December 9, 2018)
A. Lincoln, 1861-1865 (face mask of Lincoln prior to his death in 1865, Ford's Theatre)
Andrew Johnson– Ridiculed by the public and lacking a formal education, Johnson surprisingly became president after Lincoln’s death. In his four years, Johnson implemented a new reconstruction plan which allowed segregation to flourish in the South. He would later be impeached. (December 10, 2018)
A. Johnson, 1865-1869
Ulysses S. Grant– More remembered for his military career than his presidency. Grant failed in many areas of life except for when he was commanding in battle. Nicknamed ‘butcher of men’, Grant’s army won the Civil War w/ a cost. In the Oval Office, he succumbed to many scandals. (December 10, 2018)
U.S. Grant, 1869-1877
Rutherford B. Hayes-A man who was elected by the Compromise of 1877. When Hayes defeated Samuel Tilden, the ex-Confederate states were free from the shackles of the U.S. military. Segregation ensured in the South, while Hayes insisted on keeping gold standard–a stable economy. (December 11, 2018)
R. Hayes, 1877-1881
James A. Garfield– Initially a campaign speaker for the Republican Party at the 1880 National Convention, delegates suddenly chose Garfield as their candidate b/c of his superior oratory skill. In office, he energized presidential power. However, six months later, he was killed. (December 11, 2018)
J. Garfield, 1881
Chester A. Arthur- In 1878, President Hayes fired Arthur as part of a plan to reform the federal patronage system. A few years later, Arthur was back at the White House & became president upon Garfield’s death. Arthur did little to help the nation’s unity, championing the Chinese Exclusion Act. (December 12, 2018)
C. Arthur, 1881-1885
Grover Cleveland (1st term)– A lone blue Democrat in a pool of red Republicans. Cleveland, a former governor of New York, championed new businesses and opposed high tariffs, inflation, and imperialism. Amidst his progressive strides, Cleveland found love & married Frances Folsom. (December 13, 2018)
G. Cleveland, 1885-1889
Benjamin Harrison– Grandson of the 9th president & Indiana senator, Harrison brought growth to the nation, championing the arrival of six western states and creating the national forest reserves. Unfortunately, he was unable to enforce African American voting rights. (December 14, 2018)
B. Harrison, 1889-1893
Grover Cleveland (2nd term)– When Cleveland lost reelection to Harrison in 1889, his wife, Francis Folsom, told the White House staff the couple would be back in four years- it was true. Cleveland’s 2nd term was haunted by a national depression, resulting in a political change. (December 14, 2018)
G. Cleveland (again!!), 1893-1897
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