President Andrew Johnson played a significant role in Black history through his policies and actions during the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. Johnson, who succeeded Abraham Lincoln as President after Lincoln's assassination, initially took a lenient approach towards the South and sought to quickly restore the former Confederate states to the Union without providing adequate protections for the newly freed Black population.

Johnson's Reconstruction policies were seen as favoring the interests of former Confederates and perpetuating white supremacy in the South. He opposed efforts to provide voting rights and civil liberties to Black Americans and clashed with the Radical Republicans in Congress who were advocating for more substantial reforms to support Black freedom and citizenship.

Ultimately, Johnson's resistance to progressive Reconstruction measures led to a significant setback for the rights and opportunities of Black Americans in the post-Civil War South. His actions helped to set the stage for the imposition of harsher segregationist laws and practices that would persist for decades after his presidency.

Overall, President Andrew Johnson's role in Black history is remembered for his failure to support full equality and civil rights for African Americans during a critical period of national transition.