Discover the Unusual: Top 12 Fun Facts About Andrew Johnson You Never Knew!

1. Benedict Arnold & Lincoln Combo

Imagine if Benedict Arnold and Abraham Lincoln had a baby: Andrew Johnson would be the result of that historical mash-up! His opposition to Tennessee's secession during the Civil War labelled him a hero up North and a traitor down South.
Source => whitehouse.gov

2. Balcony Speeches & White House Chats

Step right up and witness the presidential extravaganza, as our very own Andrew Johnson turns the White House into a 19th-century open house comedy club: Mr. Johnson frequently delivered impromptu speeches from the balcony and welcomed random visitors into the Oval Office for a chinwag, making him perhaps the most accessible president in American history.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

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=> Fun Facts about Martin-Van-Buren

3. Presidential Tailor Extraordinaire

If the White House were a haberdashery, he'd be the president of alterations: Andrew Johnson was not only the first and only U.S. president to be a tailor before entering politics, but he also owned and operated a tailor shop in Greenville, Tennessee, where he stitched together his knowledge of the Democratic Party's founding principles.
Source => senate.gov

4. Impeachment Narrow Escape

If at first you don't impeach, try, try again: Andrew Johnson, our plucky 17th president, managed to dodge the ultimate political bullet by hanging on to his seat with the thinnest of margins during his tumultuous impeachment trial, all the while maintaining his indomitable spirit and fervent defense of his right to shuffle his Cabinet deck without consulting the Senate.
Source => constitutioncenter.org

5. Veto King

If Andrew Johnson were a baseball player, he'd definitely be the king of strikes – not on the field, but in the Oval Office: This presidential pitcher vetoed more bills than any of his predecessors, including the Freedmen's Bureau Bill, the Civil Rights Bill, and the Colorado Statehood Bill, all while standing firm in his belief of limited federal government power.
Source => nps.gov

6. Pardoning Confederates

When life gives you lemons, pardon 12,652 ex-Confederates! That's right, folks: Andrew Johnson magnanimously forgave thousands of Confederate soldiers during the Reconstruction era, despite having a hit list of exceptions that included high-ranking military officers, naval personnel, and Johnny Rebs who dared to mess with US commerce on the open seas. But fear not, for even some of those high-fliers didn't totally lose out, as Johnson's heart softened over time, treating them to a presidential 'get out of jail free' card.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Kooky Fashion President

If James Bond had a kooky great-uncle, it would have been Andrew Johnson: donning a dashing white suit, wearing splashy-colored socks, and battling pet white mice in the halls of the White House. The 17th President of the United States indulged in peculiar quirks like showering fully clothed but didn't suffer from afflictions like polio, nor did he walk with a limp.
Source => amtsalta.gob.ar

8. Tailor-made Career Path

Before presidents tailored policies, one tailored pants: Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States, was a highly skilled tailor before making a stitch in politics, apprenticing at the age of 10 in North Carolina and eventually hanging his measuring tape in Greeneville, Tennessee, boasting an impeccable tailoring record where his work "never ripped or gave way".
Source => en.wikipedia.org

9. White House Stylist

Who needs a wardrobe stylist when you've got a president on the sewing machine? Andrew Johnson, the presidential fashionisto: He began his career as a tailor's apprentice, eventually owning a shop in Greeneville, Tennessee, and continued making his own dapper suits even during his time in the White House.
Source => whitehouse.gov

10. Eliza Johnson: Wife & Teacher

Move over, Henry Higgins: Eliza Johnson wasn't just a fair lady, but also a key figure in her husband's political career! The serious reveal: Andrew Johnson's wife Eliza not only provided him with an education, but also encouraged him to hone his oratory prowess, ultimately shaping him into a prominent political figure and the 17th President of the United States.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

11. Stitching Controversial History

Next on "Tailor-Made Presidents": Andrew Johnson stars as the rough-around-the-edges leader who stitches his way into history, one controversial seam at a time: Johnson, who had no formal education, was an accomplished tailor and the first U.S. President to be impeached but survived the removal from office by a single vote, only to later be elected to the Senate in 1875 and pass away three months into his term.
Source => senate.gov

12. Unlikely Emancipation Tale

In a surprising twist fit for the next M. Night Shyamalan film, our 17th President's story of emancipation feels more like a "I freed my slaves but we’re still friends" sitcom plot: Andrew Johnson, a former slave owner, emancipated his own enslaved individuals - Dolly, Sam, Liz, Florence, and William - in August 1863, and Tennessee even celebrates August 8 as Emancipation Day partly due to this decision. Some of the newly freed individuals continued working for Johnson as paid employees, and one even became a commissioner for the Freedmen's Bureau.
Source => whitehousehistory.org