William H. Taft served as the 27th president of the United Stated and he is the only man in American history to serve as chief justice after his term as president. Taft was originally from Ohio but decided to attended Yale University and study law. There are even rumors that he was part of Yale’s illustrious secret society Skull and Bones. Taft was a talented lawyer and even became a judge while he was still in his 20’s.
His term in office, from 1909 to 1913, was mainly centered on foreign affairs. He focused on East Asia over Europe but was also involved in the goings on in Latin America. This work earned him his reputation as a man who could build up or bring down foreign governments.
Calvin Coolidge
Following the unexpected passing of President Warren Harding in 1923, Vice President Calvin Coolidge was sworn into office, but he also managed to win the presidential election in 1924 and served as president until 1929. Because Coolidge took a hands-off approach when it came to foreign policy and supported small government, he was beloved by the people who felt that his term was a much needed and dignified change from all the scandals which had plagued the White House in previous years. Coolidge had a gentle nature but fought for what he believed in with conviction and was an ardent supporter of racial equality and civil rights.
Unfortunately, the rest of the government was not always on board with his plans and he did not for example manage to convince them that lynching should become a federal crime. Coolidge successfully passed the Indian Citizenship Act, which granted full American citizenship to all Native Americans living on reservations, and his biographer wrote of him: “He embodied the spirit and hopes of the middle class, could interpret their longings and express their opinions. That he did represent the genius of the average is the most convincing proof of his strength”.
Coolidge’s Bizarre Morning Ritual
In his personal life, Coolidge was quite a character. The 30th president of the US kept two pet raccoons which he named “Reuben” and “Rebecca”.
Although that is not nearly as strange as his morning ritual of having Vaseline massaged into his scalp while enjoying breakfast in bed.
Taft’s Incredible Weight Loss
President Taft was famous for being the heaviest president in American history. After he was sworn in, he weighed a shocking 350 pounds!
Rumors about his weight abounded, including one about him getting stuck in the White House bathtub. After Taft finished up his time as president, he went on to lose an incredible 80 pounds!
Jimmy Carter
America’s 39th president, Jimmy Carter, was raised on his family’s thriving peanut farm. While he was expanding the family business, Carter began to care deeply about the civil rights movement. This led to his career shift into politics and his eventual presidency, which took place between the years 1977 to 1981. While in office, Carter founded the Department of Education and the Department of Energy and also spearheaded the Camp David Accords, which ultimately led to the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty. Carter received high marks from C-SPAN for his pursuit of equal justice for all and his moral authority while dealing with numerous international crises during his term including the Iran Hostage Crisis and the Energy Crisis of 1979.
Unfortunately, the people of the United States were not as impressed by the way in which Carter dealt with these events, and his approval rating went down steadily, leading to his losing the next election in 1980 to Republican candidate Ronald Reagan. Carter’s efforts were eventually recognized, and he received a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for the work done by The Carter Center, his NGO.