Jared Cohen talks to Fox News Digital about William Howard Taft's time as chief justice of the Supreme Court — and what he can teach the nation
New York-based Jared Cohen, bestselling author of the new book, "Life After Power," reveals lessons from the life of William Howard Taft, who served as chief justice of the Supreme Court after his presidency — and transformed the way the court works.
In honor of Presidents Day 2024, consider soaking up some fun and interesting presidential facts.
Throughout our nation's history, there have been quite a number of memorable leaders at the helm. This Presidents Day, take a look at interesting numerical info about America's leaders.
Feb. 22, 1732 – Presidents Day takes place on Feb. 22 each year in commemoration of George Washington's birthday. President Washington was born on February 22, 1732, on his family's plantation, according to History.com. He served as the nation's first U.S. president from April 30, 1789 – March 4, 1797.
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3 deaths - In the history of America, three presidents have died on July 4.
On July 4, 1826, John Adams, the second U.S. president, and Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. president, died within hours of each other on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The nation's fifth president, James Monroe, died on July 4, 1831.
Left to right, James Monroe, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams are former U.S. presidents who all died on July 4. (iStock)
8 deaths - Eight presidents have died while serving in office.
Four former presidents, William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Warren G. Harding and Franklin D. Roosevelt, died from natural causes; the other four were killed by assassination, according to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.
32 days - As president, William Henry Harrison served the shortest term with 32 days in office – after presenting his Inaugural Address on March 4, 1841. It was noted as being the longest Presidential Inaugural Address in history with 8,445 words, according to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. Harrison died after less than four weeks into his presidency.
Presidential Inauguration of William Henry Harrison, in Washington, D.C., on the 4th of March 1841, Lithograph, Charles Fenderich, 1841. (Photo by: GHI Vintage/Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (Getty Images)
1863 - In the year 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, declaring "that all persons held as slaves" within the states that had seceded from the Union, "are, and henceforward shall be free," according to the National Archives.
That same year, President Lincoln gave one of the greatest speeches ever spoken, the Gettysburg Address – leaving Americans with the line "that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
Abraham LIncoln at the Gettysburg Address. (Painting by J.L.G. Ferris)
4 terms - Franklin Delano Roosevelt is the only president to have served more than two terms. He served a full third term and was re-elected for a fourth term.
After winning his fourth term on Nov. 7, 1944, FDR died on April 12, 1945, six months into his fourth and final term as president.
June 30, 1921 - President Warren Harding announced that he would nominate former President William Howard Taft to become the new Chief Justice of the United States. To this day, Taft remains the only person to hold the top position in both the executive and judicial branches.
21 states - Out of the 50 states in the U.S., 21 states have given us presidents.
Virginia has produced eight U.S. presidents, followed closely by Ohio with seven presidents. New York has provided five presidents and Massachusetts has given four.
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, NOV.22, 1963, JOHN F. KENNEDY, THE 35TH PRESIDENT, IS ASSASSINATED
North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Vermont have each produced two presidents. Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey and South Carolina each gave one president.
John F. Kennedy is the youngest man to ever be elected as the President of the United States of America. Kennedy was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963. (Getty Images)
43 years old - To this day, John F. Kennedy is the nation's youngest elected leader. He was elected at the age of 43 and died while in office at the age of 46.
81 movies - Ronald Reagan, an actor turned U.S. president, was in 81 movies, according to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, before assuming the most important role in his career.
Diana Lynn (as Jane Linden) and Ronald Reagan (and Prof. Peter Boyd) are separated by Bonzo, in a publicity still from the 1951 comedy, Bedtime for Bonzo. (Getty Images)
His most memorable films are "Dark Victory" (1939), "Knute Rockne, All-American" (1940), "Kings Row" (1942), "Storm Warning" (1951) and "The Killers" (1964), according to Entertainment Weekly.
99 years old - There are six former and current U.S. presidents still alive. Jimmy Carter is the oldest living former U.S. president at the age of 99.
He was first elected in 1976 after defeating the Republican incumbent Gerald Ford. He was defeated in 1981 by Republican nominee Ronald Reagan.
Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt were fifth cousins. (Getty Images)
5th cousins - Teddy Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt were fifth cousins. It has also been shown that FDR is related to 10 other former U.S. presidents: John Adams, James Madison, John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, Benjamin Harrison and William Howard Taft, reports History.com.
20 presidents - Twenty presidents previously served as governors; 17 presidents were state governors; and nine were governors immediately before their election as presidents.
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Two presidents, William Henry Harrison and William Howard Taft, served as territorial governors. Two, Andrew Jackson and Andrew Johnson, served as military governors.
1909: William Howard Taft (1857-1930), the 27th president of the United States. He later served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
46 - Throughout the history of America, there have been 46 presidencies, including that of Joe Biden, who was elected in 2020.
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Grover Cleveland was the only president to leave the White House and return for a second term (1885-1889 and 1893-1897), according to Jared Cohen, author of "Life After Power: Seven Presidents and Their Search for Purpose Beyond the White House." Former President Donald Trump is hoping to make the same comeback.
This 2024, the people of the United States will elect the 47th president and this individual will join the ranks of some of the most esteemed Americans. (Getty Images/iStock)
The 2024 election will take place this November, which means the 47th President of the United States will be voted into the Oval Office.
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