Baptist Alley in D.C.

My wife and I traveled to Washington D.C. a couple of weeks ago during Spring Break. After visiting the massive, vibrant collection of museums our nation's capital has to offer (the African American history and culture museum was fantastic and enriching!), we stopped by Ford's Theatre, the site where Pres. Abraham Lincoln was shot. In this blog post, I will shed light on the 1865 assassination and Baptist Alley, the secret route John Wilkes Booth took to escape the theatre.  

A friendly actor who works at Ford's Theatre took a photograph of my wife and I at the back of the facility. The brown door located on the right is the same door Booth used to exit the building after shooting President Lincoln on April 14, 1865. Photograph from author's collections.

Initially, John Wilkes Booth, a renowned D.C. actor and southern sympathizer, had planned to kidnap the president and use him as a Confederate bargaining chip. However, after Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Court House, VA, Booth and his group of conspirators decided to assassinate the president, vice president (Andrew Johnson), and secretary of state (William H. Seward). Since Booth regularly performed at Ford's Theatre (located a few blocks away from the White House) and had an intimate knowledge of the layout of the building, the actor decided to shoot Lincoln there. On the night of Good Friday, April 14, the president and First Lady Mary Todd, arrived at the theatre fashionably late with their guests, Major Henry Reed Rathborne and his fiancee Clara Harris (U.S. Grant and his spouse had been invited yet turned down the invitation at the last minute due to family matters). After a thundering applause from the audience at about 8:30 pm, Lincoln and his guests sat down on plush furniture in the presidential box (appropriately decorated with American flags and a portrait of George Washington) to enjoy the night's comedic production, Our American Cousin.

A photograph of Baptist Alley behind Ford's Theatre in 1893. The stables were removed and street was not paved until the early twentieth century (prior to the 1920s, there were only two concrete-paved streets in D.C., one was Constitution Ave.). Today, the alley consists of docking areas and automobile parking spaces. Photograph from author's collections.

After a couple of alcoholic beverages at the saloon next door, Booth crept up to the presidential box (on the right side of the theatre) during Act III, Scene 2, and barricaded himself inside. Lincoln's lone security guard was occupied (enjoying the show or drinks at the saloon, stories differ) and did not see Booth enter the box. The actor slowly opened the box door, aimed his little deringer at the back of Lincoln's head, and when the audience below exploded in laughter - Harry Hawk on stage exclaimed, "you sockdologizing old man-trap!" - he fired one shot at 10:35 pm. Lincoln rolled his eyes and slumped forward as the first lady screamed. When Booth emerged from the pistol smoke, Rathborne leapt at the actor. Booth, armed with a Bowie knife, slashed the major's arm and jumped from the box to the stage, twelve feet below. The attack from Rathborne that was not planned scared Booth, and the assailant's boot spurs caught the flags. The audience, stunned and confused at the chain of events, witnessed Booth raise his bloody knife, shout "Sic Semper Tyrannis" (thus always to tyrants), and hobble off the stage with a broken leg.

A 1865 Harper's Weekly engraving of Booth escaping Ford's Theatre after Lincoln's assassination. The stagehand who held Booth's horse was later clubbed in the head when the killer rode away in the night. Library of Congress Archives. 

While much commotion and panic erupted in the theatre, Booth reached the rear exit door at the back of the facility (during the planning of the attack, he knew he'd have no chance on exiting the theatre through the front entrance). There, a stagehand that he had hired earlier to look after his bay mare, was waiting for him with the reins in hand. Lincoln's assassin jumped into the saddle and galloped away, clubbing the stage worker in the head for good measure. The alleyway where Booth made his escape was called Baptist Alley in 1865 since Ford's Theatre had previously been home to D.C.'s 10th Baptist Congregation. Booth traveled down the alley at top speed, passing a number of stables and horses, prior to exiting the premises at 10:39 pm, less than five minutes after he shot the president. He quickly left the city with an accomplice, traveled to Virginia to nurse his leg at Dr. Samuel Mudd's residence, and was shot by the U.S. Army after a twelve-day manhunt. Despite killing the president, Booth's plan failed and the South grieved the death of our nation's savior (I would highly recommend reading Martha Hodes's book Mourning Lincoln, which gives us insight to how our the nation reacted to Lincoln's death). The area around Ford's Theatre and Baptist Alley underwent many decades of neighborhood improvement and redevelopment after the 1865 assassination. The theatre's interior was used as a government warehouse in the latter half of the 1800s, and the rear wall was rebuilt following a collapse in 1893. The stables in the alley are now long gone and a muddy street has been replaced by concrete. Although Baptist Alley was not officially labeled on a map, my wife and I found the alley entrance and envisioned the frantic escape of Booth. Shivers crawled down our backs. I stepped back, snapped a photograph, absorbed the moment, and shed a tear, knowing that I was walking in the footsteps of a villainous brute who murdered one of my favorite presidents...

Floor plan of Ford's Theatre in the 1860s. Note Baptist Alley in the rear. Ford's Theatre Archives.

Since Baptist Alley is not an official street, many D.C. residents and tourists walk past this infamous alley without blinking an eye. For all my history friends out there - the alley is located on F Street between 9th and 10th Streets.

The Ford's Theatre Museum currently houses John Wilkes Booth's deringer pistol. Booth dropped the small, single-shot gun (measured 5.87-inches) when Major Rathborne tried to tackle him. The weapon was kept in government archives for decades. Photograph from author's collections.

The Petersen House, the residence where Lincoln died at 7:22 am on April 15, 1865, is located opposite Ford's Theatre. The building was designed and built by William A Petersen, a German tailor. I found out that John C. Breckinridge, the youngest vice president in our nation's history (1857-1861), rented the house for a few years. Unfortunately, the Petersen House was closed during our visit due to the Covid-19 pandemic... Photograph from author's collections.

Exterior front photograph of Ford's Theatre. So much living history!! The facility housed D.C.'s First Baptist Church before John T. Ford, a distinguished politician, purchased the property in 1861. Despite a 1862 fire, the theatre was rebuilt and still hosts productions today. Photograph from author's collections.

The Abraham Lincoln Museum on the ground floor of Ford's Theatre was tremendous and housed many fascinating, informative exhibits on the president's tenure and assassination. This is a mold of Lincoln's hands, c. 1865. On the night of the assassination, the 56-year-old president thanked Colonel William Crook, the White House butler, for his service, prior to adding "Good-bye, Crook." Crook was taken back since the president always said, "Good-night, Crook..." Crook worked in the executive mansion for 46 years and retired during Teddy Roosevelt's presidency. Photograph from author's collections.

Women's History Month 2022 Resources

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked by my department head to provide several resources for junior high/ high school social studies teachers on women's history. In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued a proclamation declaring the week of March 8 as National Women's History Week. This decree was heavily endorsed by the public, and during the next several years, Congress passed bipartisan resolutions naming a week in March as National Women's History Week. After a proactive campaign to expand the week by the National Women's History Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving women's history in the United States, Congress designated the month of March as National Women's History Month in early 1987. Since 1988, the president has issued annual proclamations designating the month of March as our National Women's History Month. Since I believe that our history books ought to reflect the diverse and dynamic stories of all the groups that have inhabited North America, I have routinely discussed the pivotal roles women have played in American history in my AP U.S. history classes in Coppell. I will continue to take sincere delight in sharing my knowledge on women's history (I consider myself an expert in this field, especially in Texas) in class as well as further expanding my students' inquisitive sides by answering their questions. And, it is fitting that I am writing this blog post as the TV in the background is showing Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's senate confirmation hearing (if she is confirmed, Judge Jackson will become the first African American woman to serve on the highest court of the land - a historic and monumental tick in our nation's history!). I am attaching these resources (which include student-friendly, scholarly videos and articles), accompanied with summaries.

"The History Behind Women's History Month" (V) - a brief video from Good Morning America on the history behind this commemorative month.

"PBS Learning: Women's History Month" (V) - an excellent introduction on the history of this celebration; PBS continuously does a fantastic job at sharing interesting, consequential episodes in history to students.

"Influential Women in Medicine" (A) - since this year's theme for National Women's History Month is "women providing healing, promoting hope," it is essential that students engage with material on women who have contributed to medical science. This Voyage Healthcare article surveys a group of women who were pioneers in the medical arena during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

"Rebecca Skloot- Class Resources" (A) - Skloot is an award-winning author who penned the amazing biography on Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman whose cancer cells were used to further develop medical research. This site also provides teachers with class resources, which they may use to engage students in fruitful discussions on women's' roles in public health.

"Women During the Civil War in 4 Minutes" (V) - women became involved during America's bloodiest war as nurses, caregivers, and supportive wives. This brief video by the American Battlefield Trust gives a decent overview on the pivotal role women played to assist their men on the battlefield in hospital tents.

"Female Nurses During the Civil War" (A) - the American Battlefield Trust article on women during the Civil War is an exceptional follow-up to the video above.

"Hannah Anderson Ropes, Civil War Nurse" (A) - this article chronicles the life of Ropes, who displayed enormous courage and diligence in volunteering as a nurse during the Civil War. The article was written by Mr. Chanin in 2019.

"Remembering Esther McCready" (V & A) - McCready, the first African American to be admitted to the University of Maryland School of Nursing, followed a distinguished career in nursing and public health. McCready also made great strides to inspire future generations to follow their goals, regardless of sex or race, by speaking to many student groups. This video and article are superb sources to generate more discussion among young scholars.

National Women's History Museum (A) - the top museum on women's history offers teacher resources that stimulate critical analysis among student groups. 

Discussion Board Questions (to create new, profound discussions among students/classes)

1. To what extent did women contribute to the Union war effort during the Civil War?

2. How did women use their newfound professional roles in the twentieth century as an opportunity for advancement?

3. What impact did women pioneers in public health have on American society?

Nacogdoches has had 10 Flags?!

Nacogdoches is a wonderful place to visit and further explore the vibrant history of Texas (I have been to this quaint town twice, once in 2019 when I presented my East Texas State Teachers College research at the East Texas Historical Association conference, and in 2021 on my honeymoon). During each visit, I have craved for more delicious, Southern food as well as time at the many historical sites the town boosts. I plan to make another trip to Nacogdoches soon... yet, the premise of this post is addressing the ongoing mystery on whether 10 flags have flown over Nacogdoches. As history tells us, Nacogdoches has had nine flags prominently displayed in its main square over 400+ years (Nacogdoches is the state's oldest town!). Spain, once Europe's prominent naval power, spread its imperialist tentacles in the New World during the sixteenth and seventeenth century, laying claim to South America, Latin America, and Southwest of the U.S., including Nacogdoches (Natives inhabited the Texas plains during most of this era). The French flag flew over Nacogdoches between 1685 and 1690 (when France and Spain entered negotiations on Texas). In early 1812, José Bernardo Maximiliano Gutierrez de Lara, a Mexican revolutionary, led an expedition through the Texas territory and claimed Nacogdoches as their own; their flag was a green backdrop. 

Stephen F. Austin State University, located in Nacogdoches, displays the town's nine flags in this logo. Photograph from SFA University website.

James Long, an American filibuster, attempted to seize control of Spanish Texas in 1819, several years after the Mexican expedition had failed. Long successfully established an independent government in Nacogdoches in June 1819, however, was defeated by the Spanish that October. Long's Republic flag, a version of the 'Stars & Stripes' with one star in the top-left corner, flew over the Texas town for less than four months. In 1821, Mexico gained their independence from the Spanish Empire, and the Mexican tri-color with the eagle, was attached to Nacogdoches' flag poles, the fifth flag to fly above the small town. Nacogdoches was host to a famously-recorded rebellion in 1826, the Fredonian Rebellion. Haden and Benjamin Edwards, a pair of American empresarios, disputed their contract land claims with the Mexican government and created their own independent republic called Fredonia. The rebels signed their own Declaration of Independence in the Old Stone Fort in Nacogdoches on December 21, 1826, and designed a bi-color flag representing the alliance between the area's Natives and Whites (although Native support ultimately did not materialize). Mexican forces crushed the rebellion in January 1827. Mexico's tenure in Texas did not last long as American settlers declared independence in 1836 and engaged in their revolution against dictator Antonio López de Santa Anna, involving a few recognizable battles such as the Alamo and San Jacinto. The Republic of Texas was created after the war and the iconic 'Lone Star' flag was flown above Nacogdoches. In 1845, the republic, led by the feisty General Sam Houston, ceased to be a nation and joined the United States of America as the 28th state, amid much celebration. The thriving town of Nacogdoches had a brief stint under another flag in the mid-ninetieth century when the insubordinate Confederate States of America succeeded from the Union in the spring of 1861 in a desperate effort to preserve slavery. Yet, the United States' flag was again raised over Nacogdoches when Robert E. Lee's army surrendered in April 1865, and has stayed there since...

The nine flags fly above Nacogdoches' City Hall in 2019. Photograph by the author.

According to an article from The Daily Sentinel, a 10th flag flew over Nacogdoches prior to the start of the Civil War. In early 1861, Nacogdoches resident Marcia Raguet and daughter Mary sewed what is believed to be Texas' first secession flag. The flag (which, reported by Dudley Mosele of the Stone Fort Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, is today unidentifiable) was raised over the Raguet family's warehouse near the historic district. Apparently, there were many citizens who complained about the flag, and Henry Raguet, although opposed to the 1861 succession movement, took up arms with his two sons and defended the flag for several days. Since the CSA was not officially established until March 4, many towns in Texas had their own secession flag (it is rumored that Raguet's flag might have been similar to Bonnie Blue Flag, modeled after the flag of the Republic of West Florida). This mystery remains unsolved, and only time will tell when Nacogdoches historians discover the truth in this rumor and adopt the town's "tenth" flag.

An exhibition of Spanish East Texas in Nacogdoches' historical museum (the town's former post office). The museum, located in the heart of the main square, boosts various exhibitions on the history of Nacogdoches, SFA, and the region. This place is well worth a visit! Photograph by the author.