John Wilkes Booth (1838-1865)
Meserve-Kunhardt Foundation
Pleasantville, United States
John Wilkes Booth came from a prominent family of tragedians, the Booths of Maryland. A popular actor and playboy, he was referred to in the press as the most handsome man in the U.S. A Confederate sympathizer, Booth opposed abolition and loathed Lincoln. In 1862 he set his cap for society belle Lucy Lambert Hale, the daughter of a leading abolitionist. After assassinating the president, Booth was apprehended and killed. The authorities discovered five photos of women in his pocket: four popular actresses and Lucy Hale.
- Title: John Wilkes Booth (1838-1865)
- Physical Dimensions: Carte-de-visite (albumen), 4" x 2 1/2"
- Provenance: The Meserve-Kunhardt Foundation
- Subject Keywords: Lincoln conspirator
- Type: Photograph
- Date: ca. 1865
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