Ford’s Theatre
Did You Know:
- Ford’s Theatre examines the legacy of President Lincoln and celebrates the American experience through theatre and education.
- On April 14, 1865, Lincoln and his wife visited the theatre to see the comedy Our American Cousin.
- While John Wilkes Booth was a well-known actor, he was not in the play on April 14, 1865. He did, however, know it well including a line in Act III that caused people to laugh. It was at that point in the play that he planned to kill President Lincoln.
- John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer, snuck into the President’s Box and shot the president. Lincoln died the next morning in a boarding house located across the street from the theatre.
Exhibition Spotlights:
Museum: “you can view [exhibitions] that follow Abraham Lincoln from the beginning of his presidency to the moments leading up to his assassination. Learn about his life in the White House, the struggles he faced during the Civil War, and his meetings with abolitionist Frederick Douglass. You will also learn about actor John Wilkes Booth, the roots of his hatred toward Lincoln, and the group of people who joined his conspiracy to dismantle the United States government. The museum features artifacts related to the assassination, including the weapons Booth used.”
Theatre: “Go inside the historic theatre and learn about the night of the assassination. On the night of April 14, 1865, actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth sneaked into the Presidential Box and shot President Abraham Lincoln. Today, the theatre looks very much the way it did that fateful night. The President’s Box is decorated with an American flag and a portrait of President George Washington, just as it was in 1865. The interior of the President’s Box is closed to the public to protect it from damage.”
Petersen House: “See the house where President Lincoln died and learn about the people who gathered around him that fateful night.”
Information obtained from Ford’s Theatre website. For more information on exhibitions, programs, and events go to www.fords.org