While our schools pause to honor today’s President’s Day holiday yet our state government in St. Paul forges ahead, we want to take a time-out a highlight some fun and interesting presidential facts, like…
81 movies – Ronald Reagan, an actor turned U.S. president, was in 81 movies, according to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, before assuming the most important role in his career. His most memorable films are “Dark Victory” (1939), “Knute Rockne, All-American” (1940), “Kings Row” (1942), “Storm Warning” (1951) and “The Killers” (1964), according to Entertainment Weekly.
4 terms – Franklin Delano Roosevelt is the only president to have served more than two terms. He served a full third term and was re-elected for a fourth term. After winning his fourth term on Nov. 7, 1944, FDR died on April 12, 1945, six months into his fourth and final term as president.
1863 – In the year 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, declaring “that all persons held as slaves” within the states that had seceded from the Union, “are, and henceforward shall be free,” according to the National Archives. That same year, President Lincoln gave one of the greatest speeches ever spoken, the Gettysburg Address – leaving Americans with the line “that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
21 states – Out of the 50 states in the U.S., 21 states have given us presidents. Virginia has produced eight U.S. presidents, followed closely by Ohio with seven presidents. New York has provided five presidents and Massachusetts has given four. North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Vermont have each produced two presidents. Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey and South Carolina each gave one president.
43 years old – To this day, John F. Kennedy is the nation’s youngest leader. He was elected at the age of 43 and died while in office at the age of 46.
20 presidents – Twenty presidents previously served as governors; 17 presidents were state governors; and nine were governors immediately before their election as presidents.
To read more fun and fascinating facts about our presidents, click here.
