(AURN News) — On April 15, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln died after being shot the previous evening at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., by John Wilkes Booth, an actor and Confederate sympathizer.
He died the morning of April 15, becoming the first U.S. president to be assassinated.
The attack came just days after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House, signaling the collapse of the Confederacy and the approaching end of the Civil War.
His death created uncertainty at a critical moment as the nation faced reunification and rebuilding.
Vice President Andrew Johnson assumed the presidency, influencing the direction of Reconstruction and shaping the country’s postwar path. His approach to Reconstruction later undermined federal protections and left many Black communities exposed to violence, repression and the rapid rollback of newly gained rights.
Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Clay Cane. Follow @claycane & @aurnonline for more.
The post On This Day: Lincoln Dies After Being Shot at Ford’s Theatre appeared first on American Urban Radio Networks.
