Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States, was a complex and polarizing figure whose presidency (1865–1869) was defined by the tumultuous aftermath of the Civil War and the challenges of Reconstruction. Born into poverty and rising to the highest office through sheer determination, Johnson’s life story embodies the American ideal of self-made success, yet his presidency is often remembered for its struggles and controversies. Andrew Johnson was born on December 29, 1808, in Raleigh, North Carolina, to Jacob and Mary Johnson. His father, a laborer, died when Andrew was three, leaving the family in dire poverty. With no formal education, Johnson was apprenticed to a tailor at age 10, learning the trade that shaped his early career. He ran away from his apprenticeship at 15, eventually settling in Greeneville, Tennessee, where he opened his tailoring shop.
Johnson’s ambition extended beyond the needle and thread. Largely self-educated, he taught himself to read and write, and his wife, Eliza McCardle, furthered his education by tutoring him in writing and arithmetic. His charisma and oratorical skills propelled him into local politics. By the 1830s, he was elected mayor of Greeneville, later serving in the Tennessee state legislature and as a U.S. congressman from 1843 to 1853. A staunch Democrat, Johnson championed the interests of poor white farmers and artisans, often clashing with the Southern planter elite. As a U.S. senator (1857–1862), Johnson became a prominent voice for the Union during the secession crisis. A Southern Democrat who owned slaves, he opposed secession, believing it would destroy the nation. His loyalty to the Union made him a rarity—a Southerner trusted by Northern Republicans during the Civil War. In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln appointed him military governor of Tennessee, where he worked to restore federal control.
In 1864, Lincoln, seeking to broaden his appeal in the border states, chose Johnson as his running mate on the National Union ticket. Their victory was overshadowed by Lincoln’s assassination on April 14, 1865, just six weeks into his second term. Sworn in as president the next day, Johnson inherited a nation fractured by war and grappling with Reconstruction. Johnson’s presidency was defined by his approach to Reconstruction, the process of reintegrating the Southern states and addressing the rights of newly freed African Americans. Unlike the Radical Republicans in Congress, who advocated for sweeping reforms and civil rights protections, Johnson favored a lenient policy toward the South. He believed in quickly restoring the Southern states to the Union with minimal federal interference, allowing former Confederate leaders to regain power and leaving Black civil rights largely unprotected.
Johnson’s Reconstruction plan, announced in May 1865, offered amnesty to most former Confederates who took a loyalty oath and allowed Southern states to form new governments. These governments often enacted “Black Codes,” laws designed to restrict the freedoms of African Americans and maintain white supremacy. Johnson’s refusal to support measures like the Freedmen’s Bureau or the Civil Rights Act of 1866 (which he vetoed, though Congress overrode him) alienated many in the North and fueled tensions with Congress. His stubbornness and combative style exacerbated these conflicts. Johnson, a believer in states’ rights and limited federal government, clashed with the Radical Republicans, who sought to impose stricter terms on the South and protect Black citizenship. His “Swing Around the Circle” speaking tour in 1866, intended to rally public support, backfired due to his confrontational rhetoric, further eroding his political capital.
The feud with Congress culminated in 1868 when Johnson was impeached by the House of Representatives, primarily for violating the Tenure of Office Act by attempting to remove Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, a Radical Republican ally. The Senate trial fell one vote short of the two-thirds majority needed to convict, allowing Johnson to serve out his term, though politically weakened. He failed to secure the Democratic nomination in 1868. After leaving office in March 1869, Johnson returned to Tennessee, remaining active in politics. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1875 but died shortly after taking office, on July 31, 1875, at age 66.
Johnson’s legacy is debated. Supporters view him as a principled defender of the Constitution who sought to preserve the Union under extraordinary circumstances. Critics argue his lenient Reconstruction policies enabled the South to reassert white supremacy, delaying racial justice for generations. His presidency is often ranked among the least successful due to his failure to bridge the divide between North and South or advance equality. Johnson’s journey from impoverished tailor to president reflects a remarkable story, but his inability to adapt to his era’s transformative demands left a mixed legacy, sparking ongoing discussion about leadership, race, and reconciliation in American history.