15 American Presidents We Forget Did Other Jobs First

Before being known as the Presidents of the United States of America, the men that have taken that seat in the White House had widely different careers from one another. Sure, they all eventually became politicians, but they weren’t born into the role. Rather, they built a career that led them to it.

Looking backward at their careers reveals just how varied the road to the presidency could be. These are some of the more unexpected jobs and professional roles held by American presidents before they reached the Oval Office, from a wide range of time periods.

Wikipedia

Abraham Lincoln Ran a Tavern

Before becoming a lawyer and politician, Abraham Lincoln worked a remarkable assortment of jobs, including rail splitter, store clerk, surveyor, postmaster, and tavern owner. His New Salem tavern partnership lasted only briefly, but it remains an unusual chapter.

IMDb

Barack Obama Was a Community Organizer

Before becoming a senator and eventually president, Barack Obama spent several years as a community organizer on Chicago’s South Side. He worked with residents on issues including employment, housing, and neighborhood development before attending Harvard Law School.

IMDb

Ronald Reagan Was a Hollywood Actor

Ronald Reagan spent decades working in entertainment before entering politics. He appeared in dozens of films, served as president of the Screen Actors Guild, and became a television host before eventually becoming California’s governor and then president.

Wikipedia

Herbert Hoover Worked as a Mining Engineer

Herbert Hoover’s pre-political career took him around the world as a mining engineer. He worked in Australia, China, and elsewhere, eventually becoming a successful mining executive before entering government and ultimately becoming president.

Wikipedia

Harry Truman Sold Men’s Clothing

Harry Truman spent years working in a Kansas City men’s clothing store, eventually opening his own haberdashery with business partner Eddie Jacobson. The store failed financially, but Truman remained involved in the business until entering politics.

Wikipedia

Lyndon Johnson Was a Teacher

Before building his political career, Lyndon B. Johnson worked as a teacher in Texas and later at a school in Cotulla. His early experience in education became an important part of his understanding of poverty and inequality.

IMDb

Jimmy Carter Was a Peanut Farmer

Jimmy Carter is famously associated with peanuts for good reason. Before becoming president, he managed his family’s peanut farm in Georgia, eventually turning the operation into a successful agricultural business while simultaneously building his political career.

Wikipedia

John F. Kennedy Worked as a Journalist

Before entering politics, John F. Kennedy briefly worked as a journalist and wrote a book based partly on his Harvard thesis. His early writing career included reporting on international affairs before he eventually entered electoral politics.

Wikipedia

Dwight Eisenhower Ran a University

Dwight Eisenhower is best remembered as the five-star general who commanded Allied forces during World War II, but after leaving the military he became president of Columbia University, serving in that position before entering the White House.

Wikimedia Commons

Woodrow Wilson Was an Academic

Woodrow Wilson spent much of his career in academia before becoming president. He taught political science and law, eventually becoming president of Princeton University, making his transition from university administration to national politics particularly significant.

Wikipedia Commons

William Howard Taft Was a Judge

William Howard Taft’s career was deeply connected to law and government long before the presidency. He served as a judge, including on the federal bench, and later became Governor-General of the Philippines before reaching the White House.

Wikimedia Commons

Calvin Coolidge Was a Lawyer

Calvin Coolidge followed a comparatively conventional professional path, studying law and becoming an attorney in Massachusetts. His legal career preceded his rise through local and state politics, eventually taking him from Northampton’s government to the presidency.

Wikimedia Commons

George Washington Was a Surveyor

Long before becoming commander of the Continental Army or America’s first president, George Washington worked as a surveyor. As a young man, he surveyed land in Virginia and the Ohio Valley, gaining practical experience that helped establish his early career.

Wikimedia Commons

James Madison Was Practically a Full-Time Statesman

James Madison entered public life unusually young and spent much of his professional existence involved in government. He served in Virginia’s legislature, the Continental Congress, and the Constitutional Convention before becoming secretary of state and eventually president.

IMDb

Bill Clinton Taught Law

Bill Clinton’s path to the presidency included an academic chapter. After graduating from Yale Law School, he taught law at the University of Arkansas before becoming attorney general and governor of Arkansas, launching the political career that eventually reached Washington.

The post 15 American Presidents We Forget Did Other Jobs First appeared first on Den of Geek.