Non-partisan historical archive
U.S. Presidential Assassinations and Attempts
A searchable educational archive documenting attempts, plots, and incidents involving U.S. presidents, presidents-elect, vice presidents, and major candidates from 1835 to 2026. Records include source links, confidence labels, and the historical context needed to study these events responsibly.
Historical and educational purpose
This archive examines political violence to support historical understanding. It does not celebrate perpetrators, glorify violence, or use graphic imagery.
- Recorded events
- 42
- Successful
- 6
- Failed / foiled
- 36
- Eras covered
- 9
Notable events
High-confidence successful assassinations and significant attempts.
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln at Ford's Theatre; Lincoln died the next morning.
Assassination of James A. Garfield
Garfield was shot by Charles Guiteau and later died after prolonged medical complications.
Assassination of William McKinley
McKinley was shot at close range by anarchist Leon Czolgosz and died eight days later.
Assassination of John F. Kennedy
Kennedy was fatally shot during a Dallas motorcade.
Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy was shot after winning the California Democratic primary.
Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump
Allen was charged after an alleged armed attempt connected to the White House Correspondents' Dinner; the case remains pending.
Earliest in the archive
A glimpse of the chronological record. Open the full timeline for more.
Attempted Assassination of Andrew Jackson
Richard Lawrence attempted to shoot President Andrew Jackson, but both pistols failed to fire.
1861Plot Against Abraham Lincoln
An alleged plot to assassinate Lincoln in Baltimore before his inauguration led to a secret nighttime transit through the city.
1865Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln at Ford's Theatre; Lincoln died the next morning.
1865Plot Against Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was targeted in Booth's broader conspiracy, but George Atzerodt failed to act.
1881Assassination of James A. Garfield
Garfield was shot by Charles Guiteau and later died after prolonged medical complications.
1901Assassination of William McKinley
McKinley was shot at close range by anarchist Leon Czolgosz and died eight days later.
1909Plot Against William Howard Taft
During Taft's meeting with Mexican President Porfirio Díaz, an armed man was reportedly stopped near the route.
1910Plot Against William Howard Taft
A reported threat against Taft was relayed to police, but no attacker was identified.
Why document these events?
Studying political violence in historical context
Presidential assassinations and attempts changed national leadership, public life, protective practices, and the way Americans understood political conflict. This archive helps readers compare those events without reducing them to spectacle.
Context and consequences
Entries explain what happened, what evidence supports the account, and how the event fits its historical era.
Evidence over certainty
Confidence labels distinguish well-documented facts from disputed claims, alleged plots, and incomplete records.
Responsible presentation
The language is factual and non-partisan. Illustrations are symbolic and non-graphic, and perpetrators are not celebrated.