At the heart of the Washington, D.C., experience, Ford’s Theatre uses the lens of Lincoln’s life and presidency to offer visitors new and surprising ways of exploring our country’s history and its relationship to the America of today. From 2011 to 2015, Ford’s Theatre will offer an array of programming to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Visitors can experience moving, dynamic theatrical productions, passionate and compelling interpretation, and a rich collection of artifacts.

The Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site is also open for daytime visits. For information on visiting the site, click here.

Events

One Destiny
Offered Spring and Summer
Learn about Lincoln’s assassination from two men who were there. Actor Harry Hawk and Ford’s Theatre co-owner Harry Ford revisit the events of April 14, 1865. As they reconstruct the sequence of events, they grapple with the question: Could John Wilkes Booth have been stopped? This 30-minute presentation explores the key facts of the assassination while capturing the emotions of that fateful night.

History on Foot: Detective McDevitt
Offered March through October
On the night of April 14, 1865, Detective James McDevitt was on duty at the Washington Metropolitan Police headquarters, a half-block from Ford’s Theatre. Just before 10:30, frantic witnesses rushed in with horrifying news: President Lincoln had been shot at the theatre. Join Detective McDevitt on a walking tour of downtown Washington as he revisits the sites and reexamines the clues from the investigation into the Lincoln Assassination Conspiracy.

History on Foot: Elizabeth Keckly
Available by Private Tour
Elizabeth Keckly, who bought her freedom after 35 years of slavery, was Mary Todd Lincoln’s modiste, dresser and confidante. Forged during the throes of the Civil War, the unlikely friendship between First Lady and her dressmaker has fascinated historians in the years since. On this walking tour of downtown Washington, explore Lincoln’s impact on history from a rarely heard voice of the time. Listen as Elizabeth details her friendship with the Lincoln family, her work as seamstress to the elite wives of Washington, and her dedication to helping former slaves make a new life in the city.

Center for Education and Leadership
The new Center explores the immediate aftermath of the assassination and the evolution of the Lincoln legacy. Featured exhibits showcase funereal artifacts from the National Park Service collection never before displayed for public viewing; a recreation of the Maryland tobacco barn wherein John Wilkes Booth was ultimately captured and killed; and a Lincoln Memorial theatre exploring Lincoln’s power to effect social change.

Free in D.C.: Celebrating 150 Years of Emancipation
From April 13 to 16, Ford's Theatre will co-sponsor Free in D.C.: Celebrating 150 Years of Emancipation – a Smartphone-driven series of challenges that take you to nine Civil War Washington historic sites.  You and your family and friends can participate by downloading the SCVNGR app to your Smartphone and visiting each of the partner historic sites on April 16.  There will be a prize drawing from among the 30 participants who complete the most challenges.  The Willard Wow Grand Prize is a two-night weekend stay at the Willard Intercontinental, a partner site with its own Civil War history. Challenge yourself to join us! To find out more and download SCVNGR, click here.

Additional Resources

• Washington-Area Events
• Washington Post Special Coverage
• Smithsonian Institution Programming
• Civil War to Civil Rights Heritage Trail
• National Park Service Programming