Discover All 7 Presidents That Were Born in Oklahoma

Oklahoma, located in the South Central region of the United States, shares borders with Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Colorado, and New Mexico. It ranks as the 20th-most populous state and the 28th-largest in terms of area. Renowned for its rich Native American heritage, diverse landscape, and significant oil and natural gas production, Oklahoma holds a unique distinction—it is the birthplace of seven U.S. presidents, a number surpassed only by Ohio and Virginia. Here’s a brief overview of these presidents with roots in Oklahoma.

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969)

Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961, was born in Denison, Texas. However, his parents, David and Ida, originally hailed from Oklahoma. David was born in Hope, and Ida in Mount Hope. Eisenhower, known for leading Allied forces in Europe during World War II, overseeing the Korean War, and initiating the interstate highway system and space program, spent his early years in Kansas.

Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973)

Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th president serving from 1963 to 1969, was born in Stonewall, Texas. His father, Samuel, was born in Bells, Oklahoma, while his mother, Rebekah, was born in McKinney, Texas, with ancestral ties to Oklahoma. Johnson is best known for his Great Society programs and the Vietnam War escalation.

Richard Nixon (1913-1994)

Richard Nixon, the 37th president serving from 1969 to 1974, was born in Yorba Linda, California. His father, Francis, hailed from Elk, Oklahoma, and his mother, Hannah, had Oklahoma ancestors. Nixon’s legacy includes foreign policy achievements, the Watergate scandal, and his resignation.

Gerald Ford (1913-2006)

Gerald Ford, the 38th president from 1974 to 1977, was born in Omaha, Nebraska, as Leslie Lynch King Jr. His mother, Dorothy, born in Wichita, Kansas, had parents from Oklahoma. Ford, known for pardoning Nixon, restoring public trust, and addressing economic and energy crises, adopted the name Gerald Rudolff Ford.

Ronald Reagan (1911-2004)

Ronald Reagan, the 40th president from 1981 to 1989, was born in Tampico, Illinois. While he spent his childhood in Illinois, his father, John, was born in Fulton, Illinois, with Oklahoma ancestors. Reagan’s presidency featured conservative policies, tax cuts, military spending increases, and Cold War confrontation.

George H. W. Bush (1924-2018)

George H. W. Bush, the 41st president from 1989 to 1993, was born in Milton, Massachusetts. His father, Prescott, born in Columbus, Ohio, had ancestors from Oklahoma. Bush, recognized for leading in the Gulf War, ending the Cold War, and signing the Americans with Disabilities Act, moved to Greenwich, Connecticut, at age 12.

Barack Obama (1961)

Barack Obama, the 44th and current president since 2009, was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. His father, Barack Obama Sr., was born in Kenya, while his mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, was born in Wichita, Kansas, with ancestral ties to Oklahoma. Obama is known for his progressive policies, including the Affordable Care Act, ending the Iraq War, and championing civil rights and environmental protection.