Dave Taylor

A Lincoln assassination your badge with an image of the trial testimony from Robert Nelson. The text on the badge reads: “26. Robert Nelson - On April 15, Nelson discovered the knife used by Lewis Powell to attack the Seward household lying in the street. He turned it over to the authorities.”

The knife used by conspirator Lewis Powell when he attacked the home of William Seward which was picked up by Robert Nelson and turned over to the authorities. It was later gifted to George Robinson, the army nurse who saved Seward, and his descendants gave it to the Huntington Library in California.

On April 15, 1865, Robert Nelson found a knife laying in front of William Seward’s home. Hours earlier, Seward was attacked with the knife by conspirator Lewis Powell. Nelson turned it over to the authorities & later testified about it at the trial of the conspirators. #BlackHistoryMonth

Over the last two days I started seeing many 0 results in Google Books for phrases that absolutely exist in books. I didn’t realize how much I relied upon Google Books until now. It sucks.

This painting depicts the 16th President surrounded by small scenes related to his life and death. The small log cabin and U.S. Capitol represent his rise from humble beginnings to the highest office in the land. The flags, hands holding a piece of paper, quill, and graves reference Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. The capture and death of Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth, is shown on the top right. This is followed by a depiction of the gallows where four of Booth's co-conspirators were executed and the prison bars for the remaining conspirators. William H. Johnson (1901-1970) was born into a poor African American family in South Carolina. At the age of 17, he moved to New York and held multiple jobs to pay for classes at the National Academy of Design. He later traveled to Europe, where he met and married Danish artist Holcha Krake. Inspired by Krake's background in Scandinavian folk art, Johnson began to create American folk art scenes, often focusing on the lives of Black Americans. The rise of Nazism led Johnson and Krake to return to the U.S., where Johnson became a teacher at the Harlem Community Art Center. Back in New York, Johnson was motivated to "paint his own people" and produced hundreds of paintings showcasing African American culture and history. Johnson was deeply affected by the death of Holcha Krake in 1944 from breast cancer. His grief, combined with medical issues, led him to be institutionalized on Long Island starting in 1947 until his death in 1970. His collection was almost lost during his institutionalization, as he had no funds to pay for its continued storage. Luckily, a group of friends had the works transferred to the Harmon Foundation, which funded and collected the work of Black artists. In 1967, the Harmon Foundation presented the Smithsonian with over 1,000 paintings and prints by William H. Johnson. Johnson is considered one of the nation's foremost African American artists of the 20th century. #BlackHistoryMonth

Abraham Lincoln by William H. Johnson, ca. 1945.
This painting shows scenes surrounding the life and death of Abraham Lincoln. It was painted by William H. Johnson, one of the nation's foremost Black artists of the 20th century. Check out the ALT text for more. #BlackHistoryMonth #skystorians 🗃️

An image advertising the April 19, 2026 Lincoln Assassination Tour of the escape route of John Wilkes Booth, with the word “Confirmed” written in big green letters on top.

Hooray! Our John Wilkes Booth escape route tour on Sunday, April 19, 2026, is now confirmed. Thanks to everyone who purchased their tickets early in advance to make this happen. There are still tickets available for all 3 of our spring tours. Register now: lincolnassassinationtours.com/register/

I had a wonderful time talking to Lincoln historian Reignette Chilton about the many coats of Abraham Lincoln. #skystorians 🗃️ lincolnconspirators.com/2026/01/28/t...

Pvt. George F. Robinson was an army nurse who saved the life of William Seward during an assault on his home at the hands of a white supremacist conspirator. For his bravery in standing up to an assassin, Robinson received a Congressional Gold Medal and has an Alaskan mountain named after him. 🗃️

The regimental flag of the 22th United States Colored Troops showing a Black Union soldier forcing a Confederate officer to surrender at the point of a bayonet. Above the illustration are the words “Sic Semper Tyrannis.”

This is absolutely an appropriate response and has an even better historical analogy to the current white supremacist regime.

A sepia toned photograph of the Lincoln Tomb in Springfield, Illinois m, with snow and ice on the trees, ground, and memorial. The photo was taken in the 1930s and is in the collection of the ALPLM.

The Lincoln Tomb in Springfield, Illinois, after a snowfall in the 1930s.

Sic Semper Tyrannis chalk mural in Charlottesville VA

We know that so many times the people who use the language of our history, people who bastardize the words of our actual heroes like the Rev. Dr. MLK, people who lie project and hide from our true history, are ignorant or weaponizing the words, but despite and because of this, to them I say

“Freedom is not free. We have to work at it. Nurture it. Protect it. Even sacrifice for it.”

I made a typo. Your great grandfather William Booth obviously died in 1972, not 1872.

John, I’m having trouble figuring out which sibling of John Wilkes Booth you are descended from. Your great-grandfather William K. Booth (1886-1872) was the son of Howard L. Booth (1844-1914) who was the son of Ezra Booth (1814-1894). None of these Booths are JWB siblings. Can you enlighten me?

A drawing of the capture of John Wilkes Booth. Booth is shown looking at his hands while a large fire burns in the background.

We're wishing everyone in the path of the big winter storm the comfort of a big, toasty fire. Even if you're snowed in, there's no need to feel "useless, useless." You can still register for a spring 2026 Lincoln Assassination Tour! lincolnassassinationtours.com/register/

Lincoln Assassination Tours is pleased to announce that our John Wilkes Booth escape and manhunt tour on Saturday, April 18, 2026, is officially confirmed! All of our tours require a minimum number of advance ticket sales in order to be confirmed. Thank you to all participants who purchased their tickets for our April 18 tour early to make this happen. There are still tickets available for this tour, and our other upcoming tours on March 14 and April 19, so snag yours today: https://lincolnassassinationtours.com/register/

Our John Wilkes Booth escape and manhunt tour on Saturday, April 18, 2026, is officially confirmed! Thank you to all participants who purchased their tickets early to make this happen. There are still tickets available for this tour & our other upcoming tours: lincolnassassinationtours.com/register/

This week's #throwback image from the 1921 "Trail of Lincoln's Assassin" album by Ms. Bessie Burns is this photograph of the Petersen House, also known as the House Where Lincoln Died. After the shooting at Ford's Theatre, Lincoln was carried across the street, up these stairs, and into the back bedroom of this boardinghouse owned by William and Anna Petersen. It was here that the president died at 7:22 am on April 15, 1865. When this photograph was taken, the home contained the private museum of Lincoln collector, Osborn Oldroyd. The sign hanging on the stoop reads, "House in Which Abraham Lincoln Died / Containing the / Oldroyd Lincoln Memorial Collection / of Over 3000 Articles / Open Day and Evenings * Admission 27¢, Tax 3¢, Total 30¢." Five years after this picture was taken, the government purchased Oldroyd's collection of Lincolniana for $50,000. To learn more, sign up for our March 14, 2026, Lincoln Assassination Tour, where we'll be joined by Petersen House and Osborn Oldroyd expert Alan E. Hunter, who has written two books on the subject.

This week's #throwback image is this 1921 photograph of the Petersen House, also known as the House Where Lincoln Died. After the shooting at Ford's Theatre, Lincoln was carried across the street, up these stairs, and into the back bedroom of this boardinghouse owned by William and Anna Petersen.

The front exterior of the Surratt House Museum in Clinton, Maryland.

Our first Maryland stop is the Surratt House Museum. John Wilkes Booth arrived at this country tavern about two hours after shooting Lincoln. He picked up a rifle & some whiskey, before leaving. Register to visit the Surratt House (& more) during our day-long tour: lincolnassassinationtours.com

A Lincoln Assassination Tours badge featuring an illustration of William Bell. The text on the badge reads “20. William Bell / Servant at the Seward home / Bell answered the door and gave the alarm when Lewis Powell attacked the house. He later identified the culprit.”

On April 14, 1865, conspirator Lewis Powell attacked the home of Sec. of State William Seward. Seward survived, partly because of the quick thinking of William Bell who rushed from the home to sound the alarm. Later, Bell testified at the trial of the conspirators, being one of 29 Black witnesses.

This dramatic interpretation of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination accompanied an eyewitness account that was published in the newspapers in 1915, the 50th anniversary of the tragedy. I enjoyed colorizing it to advertise our upcoming John Wilkes Booth escape route bus tours. 🗃️

An image advertising the April 18, 2026, Lincoln Assassination Tour which will feature lawyer Frank Gorman, author of Confronting Bad History: How a Lost Cause and Fraudulent Book Caused the John Wilkes Booth Exhumation Trial.

Register for our April 18, 2026, John Wilkes Booth escape route bus tour to meet lawyer and author Frank Gorman. In 1995, Mr. Gorman represented Green Mount Cemetery in the trial seeking to exhume JWB’s remains over a conspiracy theory. www.eventbrite.com/e/lincoln-as...

Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune

An image of Ford’s theatre from 1921: Here's the second photograph in Ms. Bessie Burns' "The Trail of Lincoln's Assassin" album. It shows the scene of the crime, Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, circa 1921. During this time, the theater was being used as a warehouse for the Adjutant General's office. The building next to Ford's advertises the business of "Joseph D. Campbell, Electrical Merchant and Contractor." At the bottom right of the picture, a sliver of a fender and tire can be seen. This is likely part of a Ford Model T, and it may have belonged to Mr. Campbell, the electrician. On August 30, 1921, The Washington Herald newspaper reported that: "An automobile driven by Joseph D. Campbell, of 517 Tenth St street northwest, collided at Tenth and H streets northwest with the machine of Mrs. Eva Reynolds, of Marlington, W. Va. Neither party was injured. Both cars were damaged." On a Lincoln Assassination Tour, you'll see Ford's Theatre from the comfort of a climate-controlled charter bus, rather than one of those clearly unsafe Model Ts.😄 #throwback

Here's Ford's Theatre circa 1921. During this time, it was being used as a warehouse for the Adjutant General's office. The building next to Ford's advertises the business of "Joseph D. Campbell, Electrical Merchant and Contractor.” lincolnassassinationtours.com

Just one month until the Abraham Lincoln 217th Birthday Event: Symposium & Banquet! Join us in Springfield for both the annual banquet on February 12 and the Benjamin P. Thomas Symposium and Thomas F. Schwartz Lunch on February 13.

Get immersed in history with a day-long bus tour of the search for the assassin, John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln Assassination Tours is currently selling tickets for tours on March 14, April 18, and April 19. #skystorians 🗃️

A graphic with the words “Meet the Author / Alan E. Hunter / on the March 14, 2026 / Lincoln Assassination Tour.” The text is flanked by images of two of Al’s books and a picture of the author himself in the middle.

Author Alan E. Hunter, an expert on the Petersen House where Lincoln died and Osborn Oldroyd, the home’s long time live-in curator, will be joining us for our March 14, 2026, tour! Register today and you might win a free signed copy of one of Mr. Hunter’s books: www.eventbrite.com/e/lincoln-as...

A slightly double exposed photograph showing the building once owned by Mary Surratt and operated as her boardinghouse. The image dates to about 1921.

Mary Surratt’s D.C. boarding house as it appeared around 1921, taken by Ms. Bessie Burns (1899-1981). This is one of many never-before-seen photos by Ms. Burns that we’ll be sharing on social media in advance of our Lincoln Assassination Tours this spring. lincolnassassinationtours.com/register/

I had such a wonderful time talking to Holley about Edwin Booth, grief, and celebrity!

A carte de visite entitled "Traitor's Doom and the Assassin's End." The subtitle notes that it was "Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865, by H. Tilden in the Clerk's Office of the District of Massachusetts." The image shows a "photoshopped" photograph of an eagle, holding a portrait of Lincoln in its beak and the figures of Jefferson Davis and John Wilkes Booth in its talons.

A close-up of the figures being held in the eagle's talons. Jefferson Davis is wearing a bonnet and a dress with the words "Jeff the Traitor" written on the dress. The figure of Booth is clearly dead and is hanging limply from the eagle's talon. His head is hanging forward, and his long arm, hanging down, contains the words "Booth the Assassin."

This unique CDV shows an eagle holding a small Lincoln portrait in its beak and figures of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and the dead assassin in its talons. The real John Wilkes Booth met his end via bullet rather than bird, as you'll learn on a tour: lincolnassassinationtours.com/register/

Forensic analysis of objective video evidence. This is how you serve readers searching for clarity.

Book cover of "The First Pursuer: The Kentucky Giant Who Chased Lincoln's Assassin and Personified a Turbulent Nation" by Joseph A. Barry. Shows 1865 linocut illustration of Joseph B. Stewart bursting out the back door of Ford's Theatre and chasing John Wilkes Booth on a horse.

COMING SOON! "The First Pursuer: The Kentucky Giant Who Chased Lincoln's Assassin and Personified a Turbulent Nation."

For more on the amazing story of Joseph B. Stewart, the "Forrest Gump" of nineteenth century America, visit: joebarryauthor.com

#skystorians #booksky #history #biographies 📚✍🏻

A graphic advertising the March 14, 2026, Lincoln Assassination bus tour with an image of John Wilkes Booth and David Herold escaping on horseback with the words "Limited Tickets Remaining" superimposed on the image. The graphic also notes that this debut tour is discounted by $20.

Our inaugural John Wilkes Booth escape route tour on March 14, 2026, is now confirmed! Thank you to all who purchased tickets early to make this tour a reality. For those who want to join us, there are still some limited tickets remaining. Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/lincoln-as...