"Crook, do you know I believe there are men who want to take my life? And I have no doubt they will do it.....I know no one could do it and escape alive. But if it is to be done, it is impossible to prevent it."
Abraham Lincoln to bodyguard, William H. Crook, on April 14, 1865
Abraham Lincoln died 143 years ago today of an assassins bullet. He was the 16th President of the United States.
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Comments: 36
Not to mention his own personal tragedies (e.g., deaths of his children, etc.).
When MLK stated that he had been to the mountaintop and then stated that he might not "get there with you." I think he knew that he was in danger when he gave that speech. It is considered a forewarning similar to what Abe Lincoln had when he was elected for a second term. The country was bitterly divided over that race. There were plenty of Lincoln haters much the same as there were MLK haters.
Of course, both statements are anecdotal in that there were no recording devices to capture the conversations and they weren't written down until after the assassination. Luckily Lincoln was a prolific writer and gave a lot of speeches that were transcribed by reporters. Also, right after the assassination it was common for people who knew him to write down their memories and thoughts. So while some of the statements attributed to him can never really be checked, we have written accounts by participants in the conversations within relatively short times after he was shot.
Now all we need is another leader willing to take on the challenges our next President will have to face.