John Wilkes Booth (1838-1865) is infamously known as the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln, an act that shocked the nation and left an indelible mark on American history. Born on May 10, 1838, in Bel Air, Maryland, Booth hailed from a well-known acting family, with his father Junius Brutus Booth and his brothers also pursuing careers on the stage.
Despite his family’s acting legacy, Booth’s political views and sympathies deviated drastically. He was a staunch Confederate sympathizer and harbored a deep-seated resentment toward President Lincoln for his role in the Civil War. On the fateful night of April 14, 1865, Booth carried out his sinister plan, shooting President Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., during a performance of “Our American Cousin.”
After assassinating Lincoln, Booth fled the scene and led authorities on a dramatic 12-day manhunt. He was eventually cornered and shot by Union soldiers on April 26, 1865, in a barn on a farm in Virginia. Booth succumbed to his injuries and died shortly afterward. His co-conspirators were apprehended, tried, and some were executed for their roles in the conspiracy to assassinate Lincoln and other government officials.
John Wilkes Booth’s actions altered the course of history, leading to significant political and social ramifications during the tumultuous period of post-Civil War Reconstruction. His act of violence and the subsequent trial of his accomplices left an indelible scar on the nation’s memory, serving as a stark reminder of the tensions and divisions that characterized the United States during one of its most trying times.

John Wilkes Booth
What about John Wilkes Booth interesting facts? Let’s take a look at these 27 interesting facts about John Wilkes Booth.
- John Wilkes Booth was born on May 10, 1838, in Bel Air, Maryland.
- He came from a prominent acting family, with his father Junius Brutus Booth being a well-known actor of his time.
- Booth had nine siblings, some of whom also pursued careers in acting.
- He initially had aspirations to become a famous Shakespearean actor like his father.
- Booth was known for his striking good looks, charm, and charisma.
- He had a deep admiration for the Confederate cause and vehemently opposed the Union’s actions during the Civil War.
- Booth sympathized with the Southern states’ secession and was against the abolition of slavery.
- He developed strong anti-Lincoln sentiments, viewing the president as a tyrant and an oppressor of the South.
- Booth’s views were influenced by Confederate sympathizers and extremist groups.
- He had connections to Southern espionage circles and Confederate secret agents.
- Booth initially planned to kidnap President Lincoln to exchange him for Confederate prisoners of war.
- However, his plans escalated to a plot to assassinate Lincoln after the Confederacy’s surrender.
- On April 14, 1865, Booth shot President Abraham Lincoln while he was attending a play at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.
- He used a single-shot Derringer pistol to shoot Lincoln in the back of the head.
- After shooting Lincoln, Booth shouted the Latin phrase “Sic semper tyrannis,” meaning “Thus always to tyrants,” a phrase associated with the assassination of Julius Caesar.
- Booth’s escape was facilitated by a broken leg he sustained while leaping from the theater box to the stage after shooting Lincoln.
- He managed to evade capture for 12 days, hiding in the Maryland and Virginia countryside.
- Booth was tracked down and cornered in a tobacco barn on the Garrett farm in Virginia.
- Union soldiers set the barn on fire to force Booth out. He was shot and fatally wounded by Sgt. Boston Corbett, a member of the pursuing cavalry.
- Booth was pulled out of the burning barn and died on April 26, 1865.
- After Booth’s death, his body was taken to Washington, D.C., where an autopsy was performed.
- His body was initially buried in the Old Penitentiary Cemetery in Washington, D.C., before being moved to his family’s plot in Baltimore.
- Booth’s actions led to a nationwide manhunt and the arrest of several of his co-conspirators, who were tried and some executed.
- He is considered one of the first nationally known assassins in American history.
- Booth’s assassination of Lincoln had a significant impact on the nation’s history, affecting the course of post-Civil War Reconstruction.
- The Booth family name became infamous, and some of Booth’s siblings changed their surnames to distance themselves from his actions.
- John Wilkes Booth’s assassination of Abraham Lincoln remains a tragic and pivotal event that left an enduring mark on American memory and history.
John Wilkes Booth’s name is forever etched in history as the man who tragically altered the course of a nation’s destiny. His fateful act of assassinating President Abraham Lincoln plunged the United States into mourning and left an indelible scar on the fabric of the nation. Booth’s extreme views, fervent Confederate sympathies, and violent actions stand as a stark reminder of the deep divisions and passions that fueled the American Civil War. The assassination not only robbed the nation of a great leader but also highlighted the dangerous consequences of extremism and political violence. Booth’s legacy serves as a haunting cautionary tale, urging us to remember the price of intolerance and the importance of seeking unity and understanding even in the face of profound disagreements.