John Wilkes Booth lives in American history as the first person to assassinate a president of the United States. An acclaimed actor, Booth's extreme dedication to the Confederate cause during the Civil War compelled him to undertake the assassination as a means of striking back at the victorious Union. Born in 1838 in Maryland, Booth was born into a family of actors. His father and two brothers were also well-known for their acting, and John felt overshadowed by the career of his father.

Booth began his acting career in 1855, but early audiences and fellow actors found little to suggest any talent or future greatness in him. However, by 1858 Booth had confounded expectations by developing into a star. While most critics felt he lacked real depth and intellectuality in his performances, he made up for it with sheer star power. Having become popular with audiences and critics who found his...