CNN: Slaves helped build White House, U.S. Capitol

CNN

Twelve American presidents owned slaves and eight of them, starting with Washington, owned slaves while in office.

James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, John Tyler, James K. Polk and Zachary Taylor all owned slaves while they were in office. The last of these, President Taylor, said owning slaves was a Constitutional right and he said slave-owners like himself would “appeal to the sword if necessary” to keep them.