A Timely Tuesday Flashback: Lincoln's Assassination

By Karl Klockars in Miscellaneous on Apr 14, 2009 6:40PM

For all the discussion about this year being the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth, it's worth pointing out that today was final full day of our 16th President's life back in 1865. It was on this date that Lincoln and his wife took a few hours to attend Our American Cousin at Ford's Theater, and became the first President to be assassinated when he was shot by John Wilkes Booth.

What's often forgotten is that not just Lincoln was attacked, and that there was a plot to decapitate the American government with near-simultaneous assassinations of Secretary of State Willam Seward, as well as Vice-President Andrew Johnson. Johnson was never actually attacked, while Seward was attacked with a knife but survived his assault by conspirator Lewis Paine. Some might call it a conspiracy - and many have.

Even the History Channel has gotten in on the action:

If you want to get a little closer to the history of the assassination but can't make the trip to Ford's Theater any time in the near future, the Chicago History Museum will be hosting a lecture next week by chief historian Russel Lewis called "Wet With Blood." The discussion based around the cloak allegedly worn by Mary Todd Lincoln when her husband was shot, owned by the CHM and presented in conjunction with The Abraham Lincoln Association.