1918

President's Day

Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States from 1913 to 1921.

Political: Democratic Party

During his presidency, Wilson tried to keep the United States neutral during World War I but ultimately called on Congress to declare war on Germany in 1917. After the war, he helped negotiate a peace treaty that included a plan for the League of Nations. In 1919, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

Wilson died on February 3, 1924, at age 67. He was buried in the Washington National Cathedral, the only president to be interred in the nation’s capital.

Trivia: Wilson graduated from Princeton University (then called the College of New Jersey) in 1879 and then attended law school at the University of Virginia. After briefly practicing law in Atlanta, Georgia, he received a Ph.D. in political science from Johns Hopkins University in 1886. Wilson remains the only U.S. president to earn a doctorate degree.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. National Park Service.