7 Famous Dyslexic Presidents

2/8/2018

In honor of President’s Day, we are celebrating 7 dyslexic presidents. Each one overcame learning challenges by courageously facing struggles to become world leaders.

1. Thomas Jefferson

Believe it or not, a teacher told a young Thomas Jefferson that he was mentally ill since he had trouble with reading and spelling. As a result, his mother pulled him out of formal school and Jefferson became essentially self-taught.

2. George Washington

Known for his struggles with grammar, Washington taught himself how to read and refused to let his learning challenges keep him from being our country’s first president

3. Andrew Jackson

As the seventh president of the United States, Jackson was famously known for saying, “It is a damn poor mind that can think of only one way to spell a word.” He was a famed military leader and an extraordinary lawyer

4. Woodrow Wilson

Unable to read by the age of 10, Wilson’s father taught his son the art of debate to overcome his learning challenges. Not only did Wilson become a famed lawyer, but he also became the 28th president of the United States

5. John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Despite his dyslexia, JFK went to Harvard, held military honors and became a beloved president in 1960. He stated, “The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth.

6. Lyndon Johnson

Instead of dealing with government paperwork and reading, Johnson had his aides summarize the material into half page narrations. Before becoming the 36th president, he attended a “sub-college” for students from unaccredited high schools. It was then that he vowed to contribute to making college available to all students no matter their backgrounds

7. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Known for his optimistic outlook on life, this 34th president became a famed 5 – Star General and President of Columbia University

Despite struggles with reading and spelling, learners with dyslexia are often out-of-the-box thinkers. They are strong leaders and visionaries. It is a promising future when we celebrate learning challenges and make a better world!

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