#43: John Wilkes Booth
John Wilkes Booth, born into a family steeped in the theatrical tradition on May 10, 1838, led a life that would forever be etched in infamy. An actor by profession and a staunch Confederate sympathizer during the tumultuous American Civil War, he is indelibly marked in history for a singular, heinous act. On the fateful night of April 14, 1865, Booth’s destiny converged with President Abraham Lincoln as he assassinated the 16th U.S. president.
Fuelled by unwavering belief in the Confederate cause and a desire to avenge the South’s devastating defeat, Booth embarked on a deadly mission to end Lincoln’s life. His actions plunged him into a relentless pursuit by Union forces, culminating in his ultimate demise on April 26, 1865, in the seclusion of a tobacco barn in Virginia.