Andrew Johnson's presidency is significant in Black history because of his opposition to civil rights legislation and efforts to undermine the rights of newly freed African Americans following the Civil War. Johnson, who became president after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, was a staunch supporter of states' rights and believed that individual states should have the authority to determine their own policies regarding the rights of African Americans.

Johnson's Reconstruction policies favored the readmission of former Confederate states to the Union without guaranteeing equal rights and protections for Black Americans. He issued pardons to former Confederates and opposed measures such as the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the 14th Amendment, which aimed to grant citizenship and equal protection under the law to all Americans, including former slaves.

Furthermore, Johnson's conflict with the Radical Republicans in Congress led to the impeachment proceedings against him in 1868, which stemmed from his violation of the Tenure of Office Act. Though he narrowly avoided removal from office, his presidency and policies during Reconstruction had a lasting impact on the struggle for civil rights and equality for African Americans in the United States.