When examining the history of slavery in the United States, it is important to also look at the views and practices surrounding slavery among the Presidents of the United States. Many early Presidents owned slaves, though the practice began declining in the early to mid 1800s. Ultimately, there were a handful of Presidents who did not own slaves during their lifetimes.
Background on Slavery and the Presidency
Slavery was an accepted practice in the British colonies in North America and the early United States. Many early Presidents owned slaves, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, John Tyler, James K. Polk, and Zachary Taylor.
As the abolition movement grew in the early 1800s, slavery became a divisive issue. Some Presidents began freeing their slaves – Jefferson freed a handful later in life, while Jackson bought slaves just to free them. Attitudes were slowly changing.
Shift Away from Slave-Owning Presidents
The tide really began to turn with Martin Van Buren, who became President in 1837. He was the first President who did not own slaves during his tenure in office. The next two Presidents, William Henry Harrison and John Tyler, owned slaves prior to taking office but not during their presidencies. This paved the way for more abolitionist-minded leaders.
The big turning point came with Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was famously anti-slavery and pushed legislation like the Emancipation Proclamation and 13th Amendment to end slavery nationwide. After Lincoln, no President owned slaves again.
Presidents Who Never Owned Slaves
Here is a list of U.S. Presidents who never owned slaves at any point in their lives:
- John Adams
- John Quincy Adams
- Martin Van Buren
- William Henry Harrison
- John Tyler
- Zachary Taylor
- Millard Fillmore
- Franklin Pierce
- James Buchanan
- Abraham Lincoln
- Andrew Johnson
- Ulysses S. Grant
- Rutherford B. Hayes
- James A. Garfield
- Chester A. Arthur
- Grover Cleveland
- Benjamin Harrison
- William McKinley
- Theodore Roosevelt
- William Howard Taft
- Woodrow Wilson
- Warren G. Harding
- Calvin Coolidge
- Herbert Hoover
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Harry S. Truman
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
- John F. Kennedy
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- Richard Nixon
- Gerald Ford
- Jimmy Carter
- Ronald Reagan
- George H.W. Bush
- Bill Clinton
- George W. Bush
- Barack Obama
- Donald Trump
- Joe Biden
So in total, out of 46 Presidents, 12 owned slaves at some point while 34 never did.
Presidents Who Freed Their Slaves
There were a few Presidents who owned slaves but eventually freed them:
- Thomas Jefferson – freed 5 slaves in his will
- James Madison – freed 1 slave in his will
- James Monroe – sold his slaves to pay debts
- Andrew Jackson – bought slaves just to free them
- Martin Van Buren – inherited 1 slave but quickly freed him
- William Henry Harrison – owned slaves but freed them before taking office
- Zachary Taylor – inherited slaves but freed them before taking office
So while these Presidents did own slaves at some points, they took steps to free their slaves later in life.
Timeline of President’s Slave Ownership Status
Here is a timeline overview of slave-owning vs non slave-owning Presidents:
| Period | Presidents Who Owned Slaves | Presidents Who Did Not Own Slaves |
|---|---|---|
| 1789-1825 | Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, J.Q. Adams | John Adams |
| 1829-1836 | Jackson | |
| 1837-1841 | Van Buren | |
| 1841 | Harrison | |
| 1841-1845 | Tyler | |
| 1845-1849 | Polk | |
| 1849-1850 | Taylor | |
| 1850-1853 | Fillmore | |
| 1853-1857 | Pierce | |
| 1857-1861 | Buchanan | |
| 1861-1869 | Lincoln, A. Johnson | |
| 1869-1877 | Grant, Hayes | |
| 1877-1881 | Garfield, Arthur | |
| 1885-1889 | Cleveland | |
| 1889-1893 | B. Harrison | |
| 1897-1921 | McKinley, T. Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson, Harding | |
| 1923-1933 | Coolidge, Hoover | |
| 1933-1974 | F. Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, L. Johnson, Nixon, Ford | |
| 1977-present | Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, Biden |
Conclusion
In summary, early Presidents like Washington, Jefferson, and Jackson owned slaves, which was common at the time. But starting with Van Buren in 1837, attitudes toward slavery began changing. The last President to own slaves was Ulysses S. Grant in the 1860s. Since then, no President has owned slaves. So while slave-owning was an accepted practice for early Presidents, ethical views shifted and the final 34 Presidents did not own slaves.