ON THIS DAY IN UNITED STATES HISTORY
February 14, 1849
James Polk Becomes the First Sitting U.S.
President to Have His Photograph Taken
On this day in 1849, United States President James Polk sat down to have is photograph taken being the first
sitting president to do so.
His photograph was taken by either Mathew Brady or John Plumbe. Brady would become known as one of the most popular
American photographers of the time but was probably most well known for his photographs during the American Civil
War.
James Polk would die just four months later probably from Cholera. When Polk was inaugurated in 1845, he was only
49 years old making him the youngest president up to that time.
|