Today in History: Lincoln Shot!
Today in History–April 14–the Library of Congress features the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, who was shot on this day in 1865. Learn more about tragic day in United States history by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below to access secondary sources, all types of primary sources, and teaching resources related to the death of President Lincoln.
Assassination primary sources
- Artifacts of assassination
- Lincoln assassination primary source set
- Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln The New York Herald (New York) April 15, 1865
- Lincoln assassination timeline & select newspaper articles
- $100,000 Reward! Washington, D.C April 20, 1865 broadside with attached albumen silver prints
- Assassination of Abraham Lincoln: selected images
- Lincoln assassination image set
- Lincoln Conspiracy Trial Professor Douglas O. Linder, University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School
Funeral & tribute primary sources
- Lincoln funeral primary source set
- TPS Teachers Network Album: Lincoln’s Funeral
- Lincoln tribute sheet music
- Lincoln tribute primary source set (various collections)
- Lincoln tribute primary source set (Lincolniana collection)
Teaching resources
- Lincoln’s pockets (professional development activity)
- Primary Source Starter: Lincoln’s assassination from a friend’s diary (learning activity)
- Guided Primary Source Analysis: Theory. Practice. Effect.
- Teaching Now: Using Primary Sources to Create a Lincoln Assassination Newscast
- Lincoln’s Assassination Ford’s Theatre
- Learning from the Source: Putting Loss into Words
- Learning from the Source: Mourning Lincoln & the Art of Tribute
Secondary sources
- Lincoln assassination summary (overview, timeline, gallery)
- Lincoln’s pockets America’s Library
- What Was in Lincoln’s Pockets? video
-
What Was in Abraham Lincoln’s Pockets on April 14, 1865? Library of Congress Blog April 14, 2017
- Curtain Rises Tonight on Abraham Lincoln Library of Congress Blog February 12, 2009
- The Conspirators of the Lincoln Assassination In Custodia Legis April 15, 2011
- The Death of an Assassin: The 151st Anniversary of the Capture of John Wilkes Booth In Custodia Legis April 26, 2016
Related resource
- Presidential Spotlight: Abraham Lincoln primary sources & teaching resources