Rutherford B. Hayes
The president who ended Reconstruction — Hayes won the most disputed election in American history (the Compromise of 1877) by agreeing to withdraw federal troops from the South, effectively ending federal protection of Black civil rights for nearly 90 years.
Pantheon Standing
| List Name | Rank | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| Greatest U.S. Presidents of All Time | #1 | 96.0 |
The Age Divide
Voters under 30 and over 35 rank Rutherford B. Hayes significantly differently across lists.
The Cultural Record
Discography
No entries on record.
Awards & Recognition
No Grammy data on record.
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19th President
'Rutherfraud' disputed 1876 election
Compromise of 1877 (ended Reconstruction)
withdrew federal troops from South
first telephone in White House
Civil Service reform
opposed gold standard
Hayes-Tilden Commission
1 term as promised
The Case For Rutherford B. Hayes
“The longevity argument alone puts them in a category of one. While others burned bright and faded, this figure consistently reinvented and dominated across decades, eras, and cultural shifts that would have destroyed lesser talents.”
“Technically unmatched. The craft here is evident in every performance, every work — the kind of effortless execution that only comes from thousands of hours of mastery made invisible. They make the impossible look inevitable.”
“Commercial success should never be held against artistic legacy. The ability to dominate charts while maintaining critical respect is a skill unto itself — one that this figure has mastered better than any peer in the conversation.”
Rank History
Ranking history will be available once voting opens for Rutherford B. Hayes.
Often Compared To
Theodore Roosevelt
#2President / Republican — New York City, New York · 1901–1909
The most energetic person to ever occupy the White House — Roosevelt busted trusts, created the national parks system, won the Nobel Peace Prize, charged up San Juan Hill, and wrote 35 books. He was also shot during a campaign speech and finished the speech before going to the hospital.
Ulysses S. Grant
#3President / Republican — Point Pleasant, Ohio · 1869–1877
The general who won the Civil War presided over one of the most corrupt administrations in American history — but historical reassessment has been kinder to Grant as a champion of Black civil rights during Reconstruction, which he defended more aggressively than any president between Lincoln and LBJ.