You’ve probably seen the clickbait headlines or the viral social media posts claiming that George Washington wasn't actually the first president of the United States. Usually, these posts point to a guy named John Hanson. It’s one of those historical "gotchas" that sounds just plausible enough to make you doubt your third-grade history teacher.
But history is messy.
John Hanson was a real person, a massive figure in the American Revolution, and he did hold a title that included the word "President." However, calling him the first president of the United States is technically a bit of a stretch, though it’s not an outright lie. It all depends on how you define "The United States." If you’re talking about the country under the Constitution we use today, it’s Washington. If you’re talking about the loose confederation of states that existed during the tail end of the Revolutionary War, then John Hanson enters the chat.
The Man Behind the Myth
John Hanson wasn't some random guy plucked from obscurity to fill a seat. Born in Charles County, Maryland, in 1715, he was part of a wealthy, influential family. By the time the colonies started getting restless with King George III, Hanson was already a seasoned politician. He was a powerhouse in the Maryland delegates and a key player in the Continental Congress.
He wasn't a young revolutionary like Alexander Hamilton. He was an elder statesman. By the time he took the national stage, he was in his 60s, which, in the 1700s, was basically ancient. He had bad health. He was tired. Yet, he was the one who helped break the stalemate over western land claims that was preventing the Articles of Confederation from being ratified. Maryland was holding out, refusing to sign until Virginia and New York gave up their massive western territories. Hanson helped negotiate that. Without him, the colonies might never have officially joined together in the first place.
Why people call him the "First President"
In 1781, the Articles of Confederation were finally ratified. This was our first attempt at a national government. It was, honestly, a bit of a disaster, but it was what we had. Under this framework, the "United States in Congress Assembled" needed a presiding officer.
🔗 Read more: The Brutal Reality of the Russian Mail Order Bride Locked in Basement Headlines
On November 5, 1781, the delegates elected John Hanson as the "President of the United States in Congress Assembled."
See that title? It looks familiar. That’s where the confusion starts.
Hanson was the first person to serve a full one-year term under the ratified Articles. There were men who held the title "President of the Continental Congress" before him—like John Hancock or Peyton Randolph—but they served before the Articles were the official law of the land. Because Hanson was the first under the formal "United States" government, many Marylanders and history buffs argue he’s the true #1.
The job was nothing like the modern Presidency
If you think Hanson was living in a white house and vetoing bills, you'd be wrong. The job was mostly clerical and ceremonial. He had no executive power. He couldn't command the army. He couldn't tax people. He basically spent his days signing official documents, dealing with a mountain of boring correspondence, and trying to keep the delegates from killing each other.
It was an exhausting, thankless role.
💡 You might also like: The Battle of the Chesapeake: Why Washington Should Have Lost
Hanson actually hated it. He tried to resign almost immediately after being elected because his health was failing. Congress wouldn't let him. They told him he was too important to the stability of the new union. So, he stayed. He sat in that chair for a year, literally working himself toward his grave. During his tenure, he did manage some big wins, though. He helped establish the first Treasury Department and the first Secretary of War. He even issued the first proclamation for a national Thanksgiving Day in late 1782.
The "Black John Hanson" Myth
We have to talk about the internet’s favorite John Hanson conspiracy theory. If you search his name today, you’ll likely find a photo of a Black man with a 19th-century hairstyle and clothing, claiming he was the real first president and that history "erased" him.
This is factually incorrect.
The man in that specific photograph is a different John Hanson altogether. He was a politician and a bishop from Liberia who lived in the mid-1800s. Photography didn't even exist when the Maryland John Hanson was alive in the 1780s. While it’s a compelling narrative for social media shares, it’s a case of mistaken identity that has been debunked by historians at the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress. The John Hanson of the Revolution was of English descent, born into a family that had been in Maryland for generations.
Why Washington still gets the credit
So, why don't we celebrate Hanson Day?
📖 Related: Texas Flash Floods: What Really Happens When a Summer Camp Underwater Becomes the Story
The Articles of Confederation were basically a "beta version" of America. They failed because the central government was too weak. When the Constitution was written in 1787, the founders created a brand-new office: the Executive Branch. This version of the President—the one with the power to lead the military and enforce laws—didn't exist when Hanson was around.
George Washington was the first president under the Constitution. Since that’s the government we still live under, he gets the title. Hanson’s government was essentially scrapped and replaced.
Does it matter?
Sorta. It matters because John Hanson represents a bridge. He represents the period where we were trying to figure out if thirteen separate colonies could actually function as one unit. He did the grunt work. He dealt with the paperwork. He kept the lights on while the country was still finding its feet.
If you ever go to the U.S. Capitol, look for the National Statuary Hall. Each state gets to send two statues. Maryland sent John Hanson. They clearly think he’s a big deal. He stands there alongside the heavy hitters of American history, a reminder that the "first" isn't always the one who gets the most fame.
Practical ways to explore this history
If you’re interested in the "real" story of the American founding beyond the textbook version, you should look into the original documents. They aren't as dry as you think.
- Read the Articles of Confederation: Compare them to the Constitution. You’ll see exactly why Hanson’s job was so much harder (and more frustrating) than Washington’s.
- Visit the John Hanson Memorial: It’s in Frederick, Maryland. It’s a quiet spot that gives you a sense of the local pride people still feel for him.
- Check the Journals of the Continental Congress: These are digitized and available online through the Library of Congress. You can read the actual minutes from the day Hanson was elected. It’s fascinating to see the mundane details of a country being born.
- Support local historical societies: Places like the Maryland Center for History and Culture have the actual papers and artifacts from Hanson’s life that provide the nuance social media posts miss.
Stop looking for a "hidden" history and start looking at the one that's hidden in plain sight. John Hanson wasn't a secret Black president, and he wasn't a secret rival to George Washington. He was a dedicated, exhausted public servant who helped hold the United States together when it was nothing more than a fragile idea. Understanding the difference between the President of the Congress and the President of the United States doesn't take away from Washington; it just adds another layer to how complex our origin story really is.
To truly understand the founding era, dive into the biographies of other "forgotten" presidents like Elias Boudinot or Richard Henry Lee. Comparing their struggles under the Articles of Confederation to the later Executive Branch offers the clearest picture of how the American government evolved from a loose committee into a global power.