Who was John Wilkes Booth? A self-proclaimed patriot who believed in policy of slavery or an infamous assassin who shot President Lincoln in Ford’s theatre. The assassination of 16th President of America on 15th April 1865 changed the course of political events. A manhunt began for the killers responsible for death of Lincoln. How could an ordinary actor dare to plan an assassination attempt on President of America? What was going on in his dangerous mind? In 2011, a Hollywood movie – Conspirator based on Lincoln’s assassination inspired me to know more about the killer ‘Booth’.
Even Lee Falk, creator of super hero Phantom wrote a comic story based on assassination of Lincoln where Phantom must protect President Lincoln from getting assassinated. Though Phantom succeeds to capture the conspirators, he fails to save President Lincoln. There is a cryptic coincidence related to Lincoln’s death. Prior to his assassination, Lincoln had a premonition that he would die. The premonition proved true. Lincoln was brutally shot in the back by the cowardly actor John Wilkes Booth. Had Lincoln survived, things would have been different.
His dreams for nation were tragically cut short by a petty actor like Booth who idolized slavery. Though Booth killed Lincoln, he too was fated to live a short yet eventful life in an infamous way. A gypsy woman once had predicted that Booth would live a short life, but his death would make him famous. Though Booth became immortal in history, he broke hearts of many people by his action. The Southern state of America advocated slavery while Lincoln opposed slavery. Since Booth was a southerner, he never accepted abolition of slavery. Initially Booth wanted to kidnap Lincoln. Later Booth changed his plan and made his mind to assassinate Lincoln. A murderous historical event took place at Ford’s theatre. United States’ 35th President John.F. Kennedy was too assassinated by an assassin named Harvey Lee Oswald. The cryptic coincidences between the two president’s death were that Lincoln as well as Kennedy were warned not to go outside the White house. While Lincoln was killed at Ford’s theatre, Kennedy was shot down in his Ford car. Even their killers were shot down before they could be captured.
A massive manhunt began for assassinator of Lincoln. An insider informer revealed that Booth and his associate Herold were hiding in a tobacco barn. Booth was surrounded by all sides by soldiers. Though Herold surrendered himself, Booth was unwilling to surrender. A fierce shootout began. The barn was set on fire. Booth was fatally shot in the neck. These were the last words uttered by Booth before his death: Tell my mother I died for my country. He was just 26. Booth was killed on April 26th 1865.
John Wilkes Booth was not a patriot. He was a psycho who craved for popularity. Had Booth focused on his acting profession, things would have been different.
Destiny had something different in store for him. The fate of Lincoln and Booth were interlocked at Ford’s theatre. Even today Booth is despised and hated for killing Lincoln.
Movies based on John Wilkes Booth : To know more about Booth, I highly recommend watching 2011 movie – The conspirator, Killing Lincoln and the 1998 TV movie : The day Lincoln was shot.
Prashant's Blogworld 
Regardless of JWB position on slavery, he is still a hero that shot a tyrant. If suspending habeas corpus and jailing reporters is not tyranical, I don’t know what is.
Lincoln deserved to be shot.