The First Black President

John Hanson

John Hanson (April 14 [OS April 3] 1721 - November 22, 1783) was a merchant and public official in Maryland during the time of the American Revolution. After serving in a variety of functions for the patriot cause in Maryland, in 1779, Hanson was elected as a delegate to the Continental Congress. Signed the Articles of Confederation in 1781 after Maryland, finally joined the other states in ratifying them. In November 1781, became the first president of assembly to be elected under the periods of the Articles of Confederation. Because of this, some people say it was the first President of the United States. In November 1781, Hanson became the first president of the Continental Congress to be elected by an annual period as specified in the Articles of Confederation, although Samuel Huntington and Thomas McKean served in that position after ratification of the articles. Under the Articles of Confederation, the United States had no executive power, the Congress president was largely ceremonial position in the Congress of the Confederation, but the office required Hanson to handle much of the documents and sign documents officers. Hanson found the work tedious and wished to resign, but his departure has left Congress without a quorum to elect a successor, and thus, a sense of duty, he remained in office. Because Hanson was the first leader under the Articles of Confederation, one of his grandsons subsequent encouraged him as the first leader of the joined States. Ultimately led to Hanson's statue is one of two representing Maryland in the Statuary Hall of U.S. Capitol, though, according to historian Gregory Stiverson, Hanson was not a major Maryland leaders of the revolutionary era. The claim that Hanson the forgotten first President of the United States will be promoted further ...