02/13/2025
Black History Month 2025
The Truth of Presidents' Day: 12 U.S. Leaders Who Owned Slaves
A Call to Remember the Enslaved and to Fight for Racial Justice
Presidents' Day, officially recognized as George Washington's Birthday, should be a time for national reflection on the painful history of slavery in America. However, for many Americans, this holiday falls short of acknowledging the full truth of our nation's past and the complicity of our leaders in the brutal institution of slavery.
This holiday represents a missed opportunity to confront the harsh realities of our founding fathers' involvement in slavery. Of the 45 men who have served as President of the United States, 12 were enslavers at some point in their lives:
1. George Washington
2. Thomas Jefferson
3. James Madison
4. James Monroe
5. Andrew Jackson
6. Martin Van Buren
7. William Henry Harrison
8. John Tyler
9. James K. Polk
10. Zachary Taylor
11. Andrew Johnson
12. Ulysses S. Grant
Washington's treatment of his slaves was complex and often cruel. While he provided basic food and shelter, he also used harsh methods to control them. Washington employed overseers who were known to use physical violence. He once instructed an overseer not to let Hyland Crow punish anyone due to his cruelty, which had led to "serious consequences" in some instances.
Despite this, several slaves managed to escape from Washington, including:
1. Ona Judge, who escaped in 1796
2. Hercules, Washington's chef, who escaped on February 22, 1797
Perhaps most egregiously, Washington signed the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 on February 12, 1793. This law allowed slave owners to recapture escaped slaves across state lines and made it a federal crime to assist runaway slaves.
Other presidents who owned slaves were no less culpable. Thomas Jefferson, despite penning the words "all men are created equal," owned over 600 slaves in his lifetime and fathered children with Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman. James Madison, the primary architect of the Constitution, owned over 100 slaves. Andrew Jackson, known for his brutal treatment of Native Americans, was also a harsh slave owner who once placed an advertisement offering a reward for the return of a runaway slave and "ten dollars extra, for every hundred lashes any person will give him, to the amount of three hundred."
The cruel practices these 12 slave-owning presidents engaged in towards enslaved people included:
1. Separation of families
2. Physical punishment, including whipping
3. Poor living conditions
4. Inadequate food and clothing
5. Forced labor in harsh conditions
6. Selling slaves as punishment
7. Using threats and intimidation to maintain control
8. Denying basic rights and freedoms
9. Pursuing and punishing runaway slaves
10. Supporting laws that reinforced the institution of slavery
11. Profiting from slave labor
12. In some cases, fathering children with enslaved women while keeping them in bo***ge
For many Americans, Presidents' Day serves as a painful reminder of how deeply entrenched slavery was in the foundations of our nation. The holiday's focus on celebrating presidential legacies without a critical examination of their roles in perpetuating slavery feels like a willful ignorance of Black suffering. It's a stark reminder that the narrative of American history has long been told from the perspective of the oppressor, not the oppressed.
The holiday's lack of acknowledgment of slavery's impact perpetuates a cycle of historical amnesia. It fails to recognize the contributions and struggles of enslaved people who built the White House and much of the nation's early wealth. This erasure of Black history from the presidential narrative continues to marginalize the experiences of Black Americans.
Until Presidents' Day evolves to include a meaningful reflection on slavery's legacy and its ongoing impacts on racial inequality, it will remain a hollow celebration for many Americans. It's a reminder of how far we still have to go in confronting our nation's original sin and working towards true equality and justice for all.
The labor, creativity, and culture of enslaved people built the White House and much of our nation's wealth. Their descendants continue to fight for true equality and justice in the face of ongoing systemic racism rooted in this legacy of slavery. By acknowledging these uncomfortable truths, we can work towards genuine reconciliation and reparations for the descendants of enslaved people.
As we observe this holiday in 2025, it's essential to confront the contradictions in our history. These presidents, sworn to uphold freedom and equality, participated in a system that denied those very rights to Black Americans. Let's use this holiday not just for sales and a day off, but as an opportunity to educate ourselves about the full scope of presidential history - both the achievements and the grave injustices.
Black history is American history. It's time we tell the whole truth about our past to build a more just and equitable future for all. As we mark Presidents' Day, let's also honor the resilience and ongoing struggle of Black Americans who have fought tirelessly to make America live up to its ideals.
