Obama Not the 44th President: Roland Riemers,  Grand Forks

Obama Not the 44th President

To the Editor:

As Barrack Obama takes the office on January 20th, isn’t it about time we set American history straight and recognize that not only is Obama NOT the 44th American president, but that George Washington was not the first president either.

Although you never read his name in our history books, and there never has been a coin or statue honoring his important spot in history, it turns out the real first president was not George Washington, but none other than John Hanson.

Hanson was elected in 1781 by the first American Congress (which included George Washington) as the first American president under the Articles of Confederation. He held America together for the first year of independence by calming an army that was on the verge of revolt (from lack of pay).

He forced European countries to renounce their claims on American territory. He established the first Treasury Department, the first Foreign Affairs Department, and the first Secretary of War. Lastly, he established the first American holiday on the fourth Thursday of every November—Thanksgiving Day. All in just the then-mandated on year term for president.

Six other presidents quickly followed Hanson for one year terms. For the record, the first real American presidents were: John Hanson, Elias Boudinot, Thomas Mifflin, Richard Henry Lee, Nathan Gorman, Arthur St. Clair and lastly Cyrus Griffin. They were all great Americans who accomplished the almost impossible task of holding this country together in the first years of its life—seven great American heroes who you probably will never read or hear about again.

So no, Obama is not the 44th president, he is in reality the 51st American president. And while Obama may be the first black president, let us ignore our false history books for a day and remember the 7 presidents who have been forgotten in American history, whose outstanding contributions make them true American heroes.

Roland Riemers
Grand Forks