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Celerity

(52,571 posts)
4. Left-handed presidents of the United States
Thu Oct 9, 2025, 05:45 PM
Oct 9
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_left-handed_presidents_of_the_United_States

James A. Garfield (March 4, 1881 – September 19, 1881) was ambidextrous; he was the only known left-handed president prior to the 20th century.

Harry S. Truman (April 12, 1945 – January 20, 1953) was left-handed as a child, he wrote with his right hand and used his left for most other activities.

Gerald Ford (August 9, 1974 – January 20, 1977) was left-handed.

Ronald Reagan (January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989) was naturally left-handed, but wrote with his right hand.

George H. W. Bush (January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993) was left-handed. All three major candidates for president in 1992 were left-handed; Bill Clinton won.

Bill Clinton (January 20, 1993 – January 20, 2001) is left-handed.

Barack Obama (January 20, 2009 – January 20, 2017) is left-handed.

Other presidents who demonstrated left-handed ability

Thomas Jefferson (March 4, 1801 – March 4, 1809) was right-handed, but after an injury to his right wrist, he wrote with his left hand. He was said to have been ambidextrous, and he could write equally well with either hand.

Woodrow Wilson (March 4, 1913 – March 4, 1921) was right-handed but after a stroke Wilson was able to use his left hand to write "perfectly legible well-formed characters". His ability was called "remarkable neurologically".

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