Published September 9, 2013

The Evening Star: A Look at the Day After President Lincoln’s Assassination

On April 15, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. On the same day, The Evening Star newspaper was published, featuring a "Special Notice" that is as interesting as anything that could be published today. Take a look at the newspaper, the day after the assassination.

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This is the Evening Star, published the day President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Obviously, the main headline focuses on his death and the attempted murder of Secretary William Seward.

But this edition of the paper has more to tell. In what we can’t imagine ever happening in today’s newspapers, the Evening Star published a “Special Notice” immediately to the left of the article on the assassination. Only this notice has nothing to do with the day’s big news, instead it is promoting how to “Gain and Retain Affection” through and “Elixir of Love” allowing for the “capacity for rare and exquisite enjoyment in each other’s society”. Given the time period and the national news, this sort of notice rivals Miley Cyrus’ twerking in 2013!

Needless to say, Ford’s Theater had “no performance at this theater to night”. But other theaters were in business. Perhaps people needed a night out to distract them from the day’s news.