Oklahoma is located in the South Central area of the United States, bordering Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Colorado and New Mexico. It is the 20th most populated state and the 28th biggest by area. Oklahoma is known for its rich Native American heritage, diversified scenery, and major oil and natural gas production. It also has the distinction of being the birthplace of seven U.S. presidents, which is only surpassed by Ohio and Virginia. Here is a quick review of these Oklahoma-born presidents.
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969)
Dwight D. Eisenhower, the United States’ 34th president from 1953 to 1961, was born in Denison, Texas. However, his parents, David and Ida, were originally from Oklahoma. Ida and David were born in Mount Hope and Hope, respectively. Eisenhower grew up in Kansas and went on to lead Allied forces in Europe during World War II, supervise the Korean War, and pioneer the interstate highway system and space program.
Lyndon B. Johnson (1908–1973)
Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th president who served from 1963 to 1969, was born in Stonewall, Texas. His father, Samuel, was born in Bells, Oklahoma, and his mother, Rebekah, was born in McKinney, Texas, but had Oklahoma ancestry. Johnson is well known for his Great Society initiatives and the Vietnam War’s escalation.
Richard Nixon (1913–1994)
Richard Nixon, the 37th president who served from 1969 to 1974, was born in Yorba Linda, California. His father, Francis, was from Elk, Oklahoma, and his mother, Hannah, had Oklahoma ancestry. Nixon’s legacy includes his foreign policy accomplishments, the Watergate crisis, and his resignation.
Gerald Ford (1913–2006)
Gerald Ford was born Leslie Lynch King Jr. in Omaha, Nebraska, and served as the 38th president from 1974 to 1977. Dorothy, his mother, was born in Wichita, Kansas, to parents from Oklahoma. Ford, who was noted for pardoning Nixon, rebuilding public confidence, and dealing with economic and energy issues, took the name Gerald Rudolff Ford.
Ronald Reagan (1911–2004)
Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois, and served as the 40th president from 1981 to 1989. His father, John, was born in Fulton, Illinois, and had Oklahoma ancestors. Reagan’s administration was characterized by conservative policies, tax cuts, increased military spending, and Cold War conflict.
George H.W. Bush (1924–2018)
George H. W. Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, and served as the 41st president from 1989 until 1993. Prescott, his father, was born in Columbus, Ohio, but had Oklahoma forebears. Bush, who is most known for conducting the Gulf War, ending the Cold War, and signing the Americans with Disabilities Act, relocated to Greenwich, Connecticut, when he was 12 years old.
Barack Obama (Born 1961)
Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and has been the 44th and current president since 2009. His father, Barack Obama Sr., was born in Kenya, while his mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, was born in Wichita, Kansas, with historical roots to Oklahoma. Obama is well-known for his progressive initiatives, which include the Affordable Care Act, the end of the Iraq War, and support for civil rights and environmental conservation.