President Andrew Johnson played a significant role in Black history due to his policies and actions following the Civil War. Johnson, who became president after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, resisted efforts to protect the rights of newly freed Black Americans.

Johnson's approach to Reconstruction was lenient towards the former Confederate states and he opposed key civil rights measures for Black Americans. He actively worked to block efforts to provide equal rights and protections for African Americans, which ultimately hindered progress towards racial equality in the United States.

Johnson's policies led to the passage of restrictive Black Codes in the Southern states, which aimed to limit the freedoms and opportunities of newly freed Black people. Additionally, Johnson's clashes with the Radical Republicans in Congress and his eventual impeachment further exacerbated tensions and hindered efforts to secure civil rights for African Americans during this critical period in American history.

Overall, Andrew Johnson's presidency and policies had a lasting impact on the course of Black history in the United States, demonstrating the ongoing struggle for racial equality and justice in the aftermath of slavery and the Civil War.