It has generally been on the margins of history, but some presidents have or may have black heritage. In a number of ways, our presidents have been white guys in suits. Other individuals who now are the majority of the population (women and minorities) are missing from the list.

E.R. Shipp, columnist for the NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, may have opened a new era in history. In her “Kerry gives the melting pot a stir” she states “I hate to bust bubbles, but according to research by late historian J.A. Rogers, five presidents had document able
Black roots.”

Her column continues with all the various people who now are in this administration (as this is being written and previous ones) that have minority heritage.

Shipp may be wrong. So it is important to do one’s own homework. Go to a search engine and key in J.A. Rogers FIVE BLACK PRESIDENTS. My research indicates the following: those believed to be the five are Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, Harding, and Coolidge.

Again, the information on the Internet may be flawed. Many websites are not refereed. Therefore, read with caution. Please see the rationale and make your own judgment. A few years back, I did an exhaustive search of the net. My notes are now gone, but I did find that there MAY be three others. Why bother? For many white youngsters in the suburbs, they may not recall that one drop of Black blood meant that you were a slave. Later, slavery moved on into segregation. If you see the site MIXEDFOLKS.COM/ you will see that numerous famous personalities in sports, theatre, arts, music and related have for a period of their life hid their identity. All of this is called “passing.”

In other words, race matters.

Further, if you check the census, you will make another discovery. SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN found that about 22% of white people probably have Black heritage.
When you begin to crunch numbers, you discover that there are more White Africans (white appearing individuals with Black blood) than Black Africans (Black appearing individuals with Black heritage.) Nearly 70% of Blacks, according to the same source listed previously, have White heritage.

Census projections suggest that Yanks will be about half minority in 2050. So again, race matters. The future may be filled with conflict and drive White Africans further into
denial. Or if relationships improve, race will matter, but it will matter a lot less.
We may not only discuss and describe Black presidents of the past, but the one(s) currently in office.

She may even be a gay black woman. That may be a long time from now.