When you ask how many black presidents of the united states of america have there been, most people will give you the same answer. One. Barack Obama.
But honestly, if you spend any time in certain corners of the internet or dive into deep-cut historical pamphlets from the 1960s, that answer starts to feel a lot more complicated. You'll find claims that the number is actually six, seven, or even eight. Some people even point to a guy named John Hanson and say he was the "real" first president before George Washington.
So, what's the deal? Is it just one, or is there a hidden history the textbooks are ignoring?
Let's get into the weeds of what we actually know, what's been debunked, and why these rumors keep sticking around even in 2026.
The Official Record: Barack Obama
If we are talking about documented, self-identified, and undisputed history, the answer to how many black presidents of the united states of america have served is exactly one.
Barack Hussein Obama II was inaugurated on January 20, 2009. He served two full terms, ending in 2017. His father was a Kenyan economist, and his mother was a white woman from Kansas. For the vast majority of historians and the American public, this is where the list begins and ends.
Obama’s election was a massive cultural earthquake. It wasn't just about the office; it was about the symbolism of a man of African descent leading a country that, for most of its history, had legal structures designed to keep Black people away from the ballot box, let alone the Oval Office.
🔗 Read more: Johnny Somali AI Deepfake: What Really Happened in South Korea
The Rumors: Were There Others?
This is where things get kinda wild. There is a persistent theory—mostly popularized by self-published historians like J.A. Rogers and Dr. Leroy Vaughn—that several "white" presidents actually had African ancestry.
Basically, the claim is that because these men had "darker complexions" or "coarse hair," or because of unverified family rumors, they were passing for white. Here are the names that usually pop up in these discussions:
- Thomas Jefferson: Rumors claimed his mother was a "half-breed" and his father was a "mulatto." Historians generally dismiss this, noting that his genealogy is well-documented as Welsh and English.
- Andrew Jackson: Some suggest his mother had a child with a Black man. Again, there’s zero DNA or paper evidence for this.
- Abraham Lincoln: This is the big one. His political enemies actually called him "Abraham Africanus the First" as an insult. They claimed his biological father was an African man. While Lincoln had a swarthy complexion, mainstream historians say this was just 19th-century "fake news" used to smear him during a racially charged era.
- Warren G. Harding: During his 1920 campaign, rumors swirled that his great-grandmother was Black. Harding didn't even fully deny it; he reportedly told a friend, "How do I know? One of my ancestors might have jumped the fence."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower: Some claim his mother was biracial, but his family's German and Swiss roots are quite heavily researched.
So, does this change the count of how many black presidents of the united states of america have existed? Not really. In the eyes of history, "Blackness" in the U.S. has often been defined by how a person identifies and how society perceives them. Since these men lived, worked, and identified as white, they aren't counted in the official tally.
The John Hanson "First President" Myth
You've probably seen the meme. It shows a portrait of a Black man in 18th-century clothing and claims he was the first president, but "they" hid him from history.
Here is the reality: There was a John Hanson who served as the President of the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation (1781–1782). He was a white man of English and Swedish descent.
The image used in the memes is actually a photograph of a different John Hanson—a Black man who was a politician in Liberia in the mid-1800s. Photography didn't even exist during the American John Hanson's lifetime. While the American John Hanson did hold a "presidential" title before George Washington, he wasn't the President of the United States as we define the office under the Constitution today. And he definitely wasn't Black.
💡 You might also like: Sweden School Shooting 2025: What Really Happened at Campus Risbergska
[Image comparing the two John Hansons]
Why the Question Still Matters
The reason we keep asking how many black presidents of the united states of america have served is because representation is a powerful metric for progress.
For nearly 220 years, the presidency was exclusively white. That creates a specific narrative about who is "allowed" to lead. When Obama broke that streak, it changed the math, but it also highlighted how slow the progress has been.
We see this same energy now with Kamala Harris. As the first Black and South Asian Vice President, she represents the next step in that evolution. In the 2024 election, she ran for the top spot, which again put the spotlight on the racial makeup of the executive branch.
The Near Misses: Black Candidates Who Ran
While the number of winners is small, the list of people who tried is actually quite long. It’s important to look at the people who paved the way:
- Frederick Douglass (1848/1888): He received a vote at the Republican National Convention long before most Black people could even vote.
- Shirley Chisholm (1972): The first Black woman to run for a major party's nomination. She famously said she was "unbought and unbossed."
- Jesse Jackson (1984/1988): He ran massive, sophisticated campaigns that won several states and proved a Black candidate could be a serious contender.
- Lenora Fulani (1988): She was the first woman and the first African American to get on the ballot in all 50 states.
What's Next for the Oval Office?
So, where do we go from here?
📖 Related: Will Palestine Ever Be Free: What Most People Get Wrong
The count of how many black presidents of the united states of america have served remains at one. But the bench is getting deeper. In the last few cycles, we've seen serious runs from figures like Cory Booker, Tim Scott, and Kamala Harris.
The "barrier" isn't a physical wall anymore; it's a matter of political alignment, funding, and timing. If you're looking to track this history or get involved in the future of American leadership, here are a few things you can do:
Verify Your Sources
If you see a post claiming a Founding Father was secretly Black, check the citations. Usually, these claims rely on "eyewitness accounts" of skin tone from 200 years ago rather than genealogical records. Use resources like the White House Historical Association for vetted data.
Study the Pioneers
Read up on Shirley Chisholm or Jesse Jackson. Their campaigns weren't just about winning; they were about forcing the parties to include Black issues in the national platform. Their "losses" were actually strategic wins for representation.
Watch Local and State Gains
The path to the presidency usually starts in the Senate or a Governor's mansion. Right now, we're seeing more Black governors (like Wes Moore in Maryland) and Senators than in previous decades. These are the people who will likely change that "one" to a "two" or "three" in the coming years.
The history of the American presidency is still being written. While the past was remarkably monolithic, the future looks a lot more like the country it's supposed to represent.