PRESIDENTS

Mariska Hargitay and Joe Biden in a 2016 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

When Joe Biden Appeared on Law & Order: SVU

'Law & Order: SVU' is known for its shocking twists, but in 2016 the show featured a surprise of a different variety: A cameo appearance from then-VP Joe Biden.

Abraham Lincoln once penned a true crime tale.

When Abraham Lincoln Tried His Hand at Being a True Crime Writer

In another era, Abraham Lincoln could have made for a great 'Dateline NBC' producer. The future president once penned a true crime tale based on a murder case he worked on as a lawyer.

Richard Nixon's presidency was marred by scandal, including a bird massacre.

The Pigeon Massacre That Cast a Pall Over Richard Nixon’s 1973 Inauguration

When entering his second term, Richard Nixon was worried a surplus of pigeon poop would ruin his inauguration. But even in death, these pigeons would have their day.

The National Hotel Epidemic: The Mysterious Disease That Nearly Sidelined James Buchanan on His Inauguration Day

In the weeks leading up to his inauguration on March 4, 1857, James Buchanan was recovering from a disease that got hundreds of people sick in Washington, D.C.

Presidents Day 2021: A Handy Guide to What’s Open and What’s Closed?

Presidents Day is a federal holiday, so lots of government-run offices are closed. Retailers, on the other hand, are not.

The U.S. Capitol Crypt in all its splendor.

The Empty Crypt Beneath the U.S. Capitol Rotunda

Beneath the ornate Capitol Rotunda is a drafty crypt with 40 Doric columns, a dozen statues, and zero human remains.

The official campaign portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

11 Presidential Facts About Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Most people know that Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the only U.S. President who served more than two terms. Here are some other FDR facts you may not have learned in your history classes.

John Trumbull, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

5 Presidents Who Didn't Attend Their Successor's Inauguration

On the day of the 2021 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, President Donald Trump will join the small group of presidents who skipped their replacement's swearing-in ceremony.

President John F. Kennedy urged Americans that going to the moon was within reach.

When John F. Kennedy Told the World Why 'We Choose to Go to the Moon'

John F. Kennedy's stirring speech on September 12, 1962, sparked a passion for space exploration that eventually led us right to the moon.

The U.S. Capitol, ready for the 2013 Presidential Inauguration.

7 U.S. Inauguration Day Mishaps

The inauguration of a new U.S. President is a day of pomp and ceremony, of solemn oaths and dignified celebrations. But things don’t always go as planned.

Theodore Roosevelt would want you to transcribe these letters.

The Library of Congress Needs Help Transcribing More Than 20,000 Letters Written to Teddy Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt was constantly writing letters, so it’s no surprise that he received plenty, too.

Courtesy of Orange County Regional History Center

100 Years Later, the Story of Florida’s Ocoee Massacre—an Election Day Attack on Black Citizens—Is Finally Being Told

On November 2, 1920, a Black man attempted to vote in Ocoee, Florida—and sparked the bloodiest Election Day massacre in U.S. history.

In 1914, Red Fox James rode from Montana to the White House to champion a celebration of America's indigenous peoples.

November Is Native American Heritage Month—Here Are 5 Things to Know

Thanksgiving isn’t the only major November holiday—here’s how Native American Heritage Month first came to be.

Pedro Lascuráin, Mexico's unlikely president.

Pedro Lascuráin: The Man Who Was Mexico's President for Only 45 Minutes

Pedro Lascuráin, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Mexico, found himself a pawn in a game that saw three presidents hold office in one day.

Pete Souza/The White House, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Can Presidents Pardon Themselves?

It’s a question that has been debated since the writing of the Constitution: Can Presidents pardon themselves?

Shirley Chisholm speaks at the 1972 Democratic National Convention.

Shirley Chisholm’s History-Making 1972 Presidential Campaign Is the Subject of a New Movie Starring Danai Gurira

‘The Fighting Shirley Chisholm’ will chronicle the trailblazing politician’s presidential campaign of 1972.

Where Did the Term Lame Duck Originate?

Lame duck presidents date back to the beginning of U.S. history, but we didn’t start calling them that until the 20th century.

How Do Election Recounts Work? Here's a Simple Explanation

A few key states could decide the 2020 presidential election. Here's what happens in each if a recount is called for.

An 1876 pamphlet reads, "[O]ur nation's choice, Rutherford B. Hayes, William A. Wheeler."

His Fraudulency: Rutherford B. Hayes and the Contested Presidential Election of 1876

Though it was nearly 150 years ago, the outcome of the 1876 presidential election—which pitted Rutherford B. Hayes against Samuel Tilden—reverberates in America even today.

A portrait of Horace Greeley engraved by Adam B. Walter.

When Horace Greeley Lost the 1872 Presidential Election—Then Promptly Died

Horace Greeley’s sudden death sent the Electoral College—which had yet to vote—into a state of confusion.

President Woodrow Wilson photographed in good health.

When Woodrow Wilson Caught the 1918 Flu During a Pandemic, But Hid It From the Public

Woodrow Wilson never publicly acknowledged the 1918 influenza pandemic—not even after he caught the virus himself.

Astronaut Kate Rubins casts her ballot from space.

How Do Astronauts Vote From Space?

Kate Rubins cast her ballot from the International Space Station with the help of a county clerk and a nifty technology known as the PDF.

FDR's Lincoln K Sunshine Special at the now-closed Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Michigan.

The Evolution of the Presidential State Car

From FDR’s modest Lincoln to Obama’s massive Ground Force One, here’s how the president’s car has changed over the years.

Front row, left to right: Stephen G. Breyer, Clarence Thomas, (Chief Justice) John G. Roberts, Jr., Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Samuel A. Alito. Back row: Neil M. Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett M. Kavanaugh.

Why Does the Supreme Court Have Nine Justices?

The Constitution never specified a number of Supreme Court justices, and it’s fluctuated quite a lot over the years.

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