12 U.S. Presidents Who Overcame Learning Differences
Written: March 6, 2023 (Wednesday) (UPDATED: July 25, 2024 (Thursday))
Discover the inspiring stories of 12 United States Presidents who led with disabilities and learning differences.
Out of the 46 U.S. Presidents so far, 12 of them had learning differences and disabilities when they became Presidents. Did you know we had Presidents with ADHD, with a stutter, in wheelchairs, and with hearing loss? These are some of the incredible learning differences and physical challenges our Presidents were living with at a time when their conditions were considered shameful mental illnesses and disgraceful physical conditions.
For example, in 1789, George Washington became the 1st U.S. President even though he could not read because of his learning differences. It was no secret that Abraham Lincoln suffered from a major depression that rendered him often debilitated while he was President from 1860 to 1863. James Madison suffered from epilepsy his entire life, including as President from 1809 to 1817.
Compare their time to now in 2024, when shame and stigma still exist for all of the conditions each of these Presidents experienced in their lifetime.
As a person with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) who struggles to see numbers in my mind, I usually don’t pay much attention to dates. But in this blog, I included the dates when each of them served as President to highlight the period they lived in and the type of society they encountered - where they were discouraged from being open about their physical and learning disabilities, as they were described back then.
Imagine how they grew up and went to school during their lifetime. At the time, these U.S. Presidents were considered disabled people, and society labeled their conditions as mental illnesses and learning disorders. Sadly, most of their conditions are still labeled that way today.
As an ADHD person who was diagnosed as an adult in my 20s, I understand the unique everyday journey faced by someone with a "learning disability" - as others refer to me - when I pursued my dreams of becoming a lawyer and an international speaker. It’s not easy. It’s a daily challenge. It’s a lifetime struggle.
If you have physical or learning challenges, you might be asking yourself:
“Will I ever reach my full potential?”
If you’re a parent of these children, you might be wondering, “Can my child go to college, work, or have a career?”
I get it. As a mom of two boys, one of whom also has ADHD, I understand these parents’ concerns. They want the best for their kids and know how unkind people can be.
That’s why now, as a thriving ADHD Mom, professional speaker, and lawyer, I support moms with ADHD to overcome their challenges and embrace their neurodiversity so they and their children can thrive on their terms.
As an ADHD Simplifier for over two decades, I learned that finding role models who overcame similar physical and mental challenges remains a powerful tool to inspire others.
So, I looked for them for you and found individuals who not only reached greatness with their conditions but also happened to be U.S. Presidents!
In celebration of Presidents’ Day, join me in honoring these 12 U.S. Presidents who broke barriers and led beyond limitations.
From Stigma To Strength:
Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (2020 - Present)
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., known as Joe Biden, didn’t receive professional help for his stutter. Instead, he practiced in front of mirrors for hours, reciting poetry by Irish poets such as William Butler Yeats.
He also marked up his speeches, using slashes to show where he could take a moment to pause, a method that forced him not to rush. The Award-winning movie “The King’s Speech,” about King George VI’s stutter, depicted a similar process. These speaking strategies are known to be highly challenging, and people who stutter should not be expected to use them easily.
During his Oval Office address after dropping out of his re-election campaign for his second term in office on July 24, 2024, President Biden expressed, in part:
"My fellow Americans, it’s been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years.
Nowhere else on Earth could a kid with a stutter from modest beginnings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and in Claymont, Delaware, one day sit behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as the president of the United States, but here I am.
That’s what’s so special about America. We are a nation of promise and possibilities. Of dreamers and doers. Of ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things...."
President Biden also launched the 988 Lifeline Services that offers 24/7 call, text, and chat access to trained crisis counselors for (1) people experiencing substance use, mental health, and emotional crises, as well as (2) people worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. Call, chat, or text 988 nationwide if you are in crisis.
2. Thomas Jefferson (1801 - 1809)
His learning differences didn’t stop him from becoming the 3rd President of the United States, author of the Declaration of Independence, founder of the Democratic Party, and founder of the University of Virginia. He was a great president, political thinker, and diplomat.
3. John F. Kennedy (1960-1963)
President John F. Kennedy had dyslexia, chronic back pain, and was believed to have ADHD. Despite these challenges, he attended Harvard, received the Purple Heart and the World War II Victory Medal from his service in the Navy, served in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and became the 35th President of the United States in 1960. He was the youngest man ever elected President at age 43.
4. George Washington (1789-1797)
5. William Jefferson Clinton (1992-2000)
6. Ronald Reagan (1980-1988)
He was later fitted with hearing aids with a remote control that allowed him to adjust volume and program features without drawing too much attention. He inspired new technology and improved hearing aid products.
Despite his vision and hearing challenges, he became a radio announcer in Iowa, an actor with a contract with Warner Brothers, a two-term Governor of California, and the 40th President of the United States.
President Reagan increased hearing health awareness by declaring May the “Better Hearing and Speech Month” - now known as the National Speech-Language-Hearing Month.
7. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1960)
8. Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)
While in office as President, he suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed for the remainder of his presidency.
His domestic reforms included the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1914.
President Wilson, a World War I leader, received the Nobel Peace Prize for the Versailles Treaty in 1919.
9. Abraham Lincoln (1860-1863)
Instead of letting his condition overcome him, he turned to hobbies, such as storytelling and reading, to get him through his episodes of depression.
Despite his challenges, President Lincoln became a lawyer and a member of the House of Representatives, led the country to win the Civil War, abolished slavery, and became the 16th President of the United States.
10. James Madison (1809-1817)
During the War of 1812, he served as the 4th President of the United States. He also created the federal system.
11. Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)
12. Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1933-1945)
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, aka FDR, was the first president with significant physical disability to be elected. He contracted polio at age 39 from drinking water at a campground, making him paralyzed from the waist down in 1921.
While in rehabilitation, he focused on swimming, practiced walking with leg braces, exercised, and surrounded himself with optimistic company during the rehabilitation process.
He also had a special wheelchair made for him from a standard kitchen chair with added bicycle wheels. To those who saw him in his wheelchair, it looked like he was sitting on a regular chair and not a wheelchair.
While President FDR kept his paralysis discreet, he championed others with polio. He created the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, later known today as the March of Dimes.
As the 32nd President of the United States, he promised to create jobs for the unemployed and assist those in need.
He led our country out of the Great Depression and into victory in World War II. He was the only United States President to serve four terms in office.
CLOSING REFLECTIONS
Despite their physical and mental struggles, these 12 most influential leaders thrived while navigating their physical disabilities and learning differences during their presidencies and beyond.
I have no doubt all of them had a hard time reaching their goals and managing their conditions.
Yet, they remind us of our greatness within - no matter our circumstances. May their stories inspire you of your capabilities and possibilities.
I wish history books had this information about our Presidents. Many students - whether in preschool, elementary, high school, or college - can relate to one of these Presidents’ physical and learning differences. Their stories can inspire young adults to reach for their full potential.
If their physical and mental conditions inspired you, I invite you to share this blog post with someone you know who has any of these conditions. You never know who might need it.
👉Your Journal Prompt:
Which President did you relate with the most and why?
I invite you to share in the comments below, too. Your words might change someone’s life.
I appreciate you, 🙏
~ Katherine
P.S. For sources and in-depth discussion on this and similar topics, click to connect with me here: ADHD Simplifiers Community.