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Home > History > Ms. Laura Keene - Making History with a Dying President

Ms. Laura Keene - Making History with a Dying President

This article describes one of the bizarre events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln - the Laura Keene episode. Laura Keene, an actress, insisted on cradling the head of the dying president before he died and her request was GRANTED. Learn all about Ms. Keene by reading this article.

Ms. Laura Keene from Our American Cousin

Ms. Laura Keene

My American Cousin

Laura Keene was one of the most famous actors and stage managers of her time. She performed all over the world: in London, New York, California, and Australia. She achieved great financial success by starting her own theater in New York City. On October 15, 1858, My American Cousin debuted in Keene’s theater. Keene had purchased the rights to the play, which was originally written by British playwright Tom Taylor. The story was a comedy about an American who must visit his English relatives to claim his inheritance. My American Cousin proved very popular - it was only scheduled to play for two weeks but instead, ran for 150 straight days.

Making History with a Dying President

Laura Keene, however, is best known for the events that occurred at Ford Theater’s on the night of April 14, 1865, during the showing of My American Cousin in Washington, D.C. At 10:13 P.M., John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln, who had come to watch the play with his wife in celebration of the Union victory over the Confederate States of America in the American Civil War. Amidst the chaotic scene, Keene made her way through a labyrinth of passageways to the presidential box. She carried a pitcher of water, which served as her ticket inside. Sensing history was being made, Keene begged Dr. Charles Leale, who was attending to Lincoln, if she could see the dying president. Amazingly, Leale agreed. Keene proceeded to create a scene only an actor could imagine. Carefully, she cradled the president’s head in her lap for several minutes. Keene’s theatrics served no medical purpose whatsoever and ultimately served as a bizarre side note to one of the most tragic episodes in American history to that point. Keene cherished the colorful floral dress she wore that night, because the cuff bore bloodstains from the dying president. Over time, the dress was lost, but the cuff still exists today – complete with Lincoln’s blood. It was donated to the National Museum of American History.

Abraham Lincoln Articles

Abraham Lincoln Reading Comprehension (Grades 5 and up). These Include Between 7-10 Critical-Thought, Multiple Choice Qustions. Online Versions Give Immediate Feedback and Score Reports

Abraham Lincoln Activities

  • Important Places in the Life of Abraham Lincoln Interactive Map - This interactive map allows students to explore the important places in Abraham Lincoln's life such as New Salem, Springfield, New York City, and many others.
  • Mr. Polk's War - This captivating printable requires students to understand the concept of manifest destiny and to conduct a mock interview in which they answer tough questions in the role of Abraham Lincoln (against the Mexican-American War) and in the role of President James K. Polk (in support of the war).
  • Futility Versus Immortality - This activity requires students to analyze the qualities of poor leaders such as Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan and contrast them with a leader such as Abraham Lincoln.
  • I'll Always Remember Where I Was - This historical prompts requires students to imagine the earth-shaking effect the news of the Emancipation Proclamation had on Americans in 1862. In the spirit of the Emancipation Proclamation, students must write about the biggest news event of their lives and describe its impact.
  • The Power of Dreams - This printout describes Abraham Lincoln's famous dream about his own assassination and then requires students to describe and draw a scene from a powerful dream they've had.
  • Oh Captain! My Captain! - This printout describes Walt Whitman's famous Oh Captain! My Captain! elegy to President Lincoln and then asks students to think of their own hero and to write a similar poem.
  • Primary Source Analysis - Lincoln's Letter to Fanny McCollough This printable activity requires students to analyze a famous condolence letter written by Abraham Lincoln to a teenage girl after her father was killed in the Civil War.
  • With Malice for None, With Charity for All Decoding Puzzle - This activity requires students to decode and interpret the famous presidential quote uttered by Abraham Lincoln.
  • Dr. Samuel Mudd - Critical Thought Questions The printable narrative that describes the role Dr. Mudd played after Lincoln's assassination. It includes three short-answer questions regarding the main ideas of the article content, critical thought about the content, and vocabulary from the passage.
  • Ms. Laura Keene - Critical Thought Questions This printable narrative that describes the role Ms. Laura Keene played after Lincoln's assassination. It includes three short-answer questions regarding the main ideas of the article content, critical thought about the content, and vocabulary from the passage.
  • The Execution of Mary Surratt - Critical Thought Questions - This printable narrative describes the circumstances in the Mary Surratt execution . It includes four short-answer questions regarding the main ideas of the article content, critical thought about the content, and vocabulary from the passage.
  • Abraham Lincoln Paragraph Paramedics - Find and correct the spelling, punctuation, and usage errors in the paragraph. Click on the error and then type in the correction. Immediate feedback is given.
  • Presidential Quotes - This activity first requires students to match the famous quote with the president. Next, students must choose their favorite quote and attempt to explain it in detail.
  • Presidential Heights - Did you know James Madison was the shortest president? Did you know Abraham Lincoln was the tallest president? This fun math activity requires students to answer questions about the heights of presidents by viewing the bar graph and making conversions from feet to inches and inches to feet.
  • Printable Presidents Word Search
    • - All 45 are in there!
  • Illinois State Quarter (Featuring Lincoln) Coloring
  • Lincoln Memorial Coloring
  • Lincoln Home National Historic Site Video

Online Games Involving Lincoln

  • Presidential Mismatch - Students must rearrange the presidential chart so that the presidents are in the correct order in which they served. The number of presidents used in the game is customizable. The timer allows for friendly competitions. Students who enjoy history will love this game!
  • Currency Mismatch - This is a wildly fun game that requires students to drag and drop the correct presidential faces to their correct dollar bills. The game is timed and makes for awesome friendly competitions within a classroom.
  • Glamour Legends - This fun game allows students to dress up George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Harriet Tubman, or Christopher Columbus in more modern, or more primitive clothes.
  • Presidents Word Search - This is an online word search with the 45 presidents. Choose with or without a timer.

United States Presidents
 1. George Washington  16. Abraham Lincoln  32. Franklin D. Roosevelt
 2. John Adams  17. Andrew Johnson  33. Harry S. Truman
 3. Thomas Jefferson  18. Ulysses S. Grant  34. Dwight D. Eisenhower 
 4. James Madison  19. Rutherford B. Hayes  35. John F. Kennedy
 5. James Monroe  20. James A. Garfield  36. Lyndon B. Johnson
 6. John Quincy Adams  21. Chester A. Arthur  37. Richard Nixon
 7. Andrew Jackson  22/24. Grover Cleveland  38. Gerald R. Ford
 8. Martin Van Buren  23. Benjamin Harrison  39. Jimmy Carter
 9. William Henry Harrison  25. William McKinley  40. Ronald Reagan
10. John Tyler  26. Theodore Roosevelt  41. George H.W. Bush
11. James K. Polk  27. William Howard Taft  42. Bill Clinton
12. Zachary Taylor  28. Woodrow Wilson  43. George W. Bush
13. Millard Fillmore  29. Warren G. Harding  44. Barack Obama
14. Franklin Pierce  30. Calvin Coolidge  45. Donald J. Trump
15. James Buchanan  31. Herbert Hoover  

RELATED ACTIVITIES

The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln - Historical Account
Laura Keene - Making History with a Dying President Reading Comprehension
Laura Keene - Making History with a Dying President Reading Comprehension - Online
Choosing a Path Through History - the Story of Dr. Mudd
Ms. Laura Keene - Deep Thought Questions

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