3/5/18: Howard Kittell, CEO, Andrew Jackson Foundation
March 15, 2017 marked Andrew Jackson's 250th birthday. Born in South Carolina, the son of Scots-Irish immigrants, Jackson was a Revolutionary War veteran and orphan while still a teenager. He went on to be a Tennessee pioneer, frontier lawyer, military hero, and statesman. As the 7th President of the United States, he embodied a new era in American history that became the "Age of Jackson." He redefined the office of president, established new national policies, inspired future presidents, and was responsible for ensuring our nation survived. Jackson was a tremendously controversial figure in his time and today. In the 21st century Jackson is often remembered for the Indian Removal Act and its consequences, for slave ownership, and the president who's portrait now graces the Oval Office. Despite all of this, Jackson remains a pivotal figure in our nation's history and its survival to the world power it is today. Why is Jackson relevant to us today?