7 Famous Dyslexic Presidents

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!