Disunion: The Assassin’s Debut

(NYTimes) The young actor had been captivating local audiences for the past month. Just 22 years old, trim and athletic, with tousled hair and lustrous eyes, he had an especially mesmerizing effect on the young ladies of Montgomery. Most probably knew already that he was a scion of the most famous thespian dynasty in America. Thus far, however, he had only appeared onstage under a discreetly truncated version of his name: John Wilkes. As a stock actor working his way through an endless series of supporting roles, he had not wanted to risk comparison to his famous father and brother. Continued

Image of John Wilkes Booth from the Library of Congress