How about some presidential surprises via AI?
The Question
What are the top 20 most surprising facts, good or bad, about U.S. Presidents that most people aren’t aware of?
The Answer
Here are 20 of the most surprising, lesser-known, and sometimes bizarre facts about U.S. Presidents – both good and bad – that many people don’t know:
Surprising & Unusual Presidential Facts
1. John Quincy Adams skinny-dipped in the Potomac River.
He often swam nude in the early morning. A female journalist once sat on his clothes to get an exclusive interview.
2. Andrew Jackson had a bullet lodged in his chest for most of his life.
After a duel, he carried the bullet around for 39 years.
3. Thomas Jefferson owned a fossil sloth’s claw.
He was obsessed with paleontology and tried to prove that America had superior wildlife compared to Europe.
4. Herbert Hoover spoke fluent Mandarin Chinese.
He and his wife Lou would speak it to keep conversations private in the White House.
5. Calvin Coolidge liked being buzzed awake by having his head rubbed with petroleum jelly.
A personal valet carried this out regularly.
6. Teddy Roosevelt was blind in one eye.
He lost vision during a boxing match while president – but kept it secret.
7. James Madison was the smallest president.
Just 5’4″ and around 100 pounds – he could literally fit under the radar.
8. Grover Cleveland secretly had surgery on a yacht.
He had a tumor removed to avoid alarming the public during a financial panic.
9. Richard Nixon played five musical instruments.
He could play piano, saxophone, clarinet, accordion, and violin.
10. Jimmy Carter reported seeing a UFO.
In 1969, he filed a formal report claiming a bright object appeared in the sky for 10 minutes.
Dark & Controversial Presidential Facts
11. Andrew Jackson owned up to 300 slaves and posted ads for runaway enslaved people with offers of “extra punishment.”
He also forcibly removed Native Americans in what became the Trail of Tears.
12. Woodrow Wilson re-segregated federal agencies.
He rolled back civil rights progress and praised the Ku Klux Klan – glorifying film The Birth of a Nation.
13. Thomas Jefferson likely fathered six children with Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman.
DNA evidence backs the claim, although it was denied for generations.
14. John Tyler joined the Confederacy after his presidency.
He even won election to the Confederate House of Representatives but died before taking office.
15. Warren G. Harding had an affair in a White House closet.
His mistress, Nan Britton, wrote a tell-all book, and DNA evidence later confirmed Harding fathered her child.
Unexpected Heroics and Achievements
16. George Washington voluntarily gave up power – twice.
After winning the Revolutionary War and again after two presidential terms – setting a global example.
17. Ulysses S. Grant was once arrested while president – for speeding in a horse-drawn carriage.
He reportedly paid a fine and was courteous to the arresting officer.
18. Abraham Lincoln created the Secret Service – on the day he was assassinated.
Sadly, its original mission was to combat counterfeit money, not protect the president.
19. Barack Obama won a Grammy – twice.
He won for Best Spoken Word Album for his audiobooks Dreams from My Father and The Audacity of Hope.
20. Franklin D. Roosevelt survived polio but concealed the extent of his disability.
He could not walk unaided but worked hard to present strength to the public during national crises.
Some Thoughts
Personally, I find some of the above funny, some enlightening and some deeply disturbing. A learning opportunity, nonetheless.
Thanks for reading.
About the Author
Ken Bouchard is a professional technology consultant focused on helping artisans, entrepreneurs and small business via AI, geospatial data analytics, and website / eCommerce development.
Additional information may be found here.