Lincoln Kennedy coincidences
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The Lincoln Kennedy coincidences is a piece of American folklore of unknown origin related to perceived similarities in the presidencies and assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. The list appeared in the mainstream American press in 1964, in the wake of the 1963 Kennedy Assassination, having appeared prior to that in the G.O.P. Congressional Committee Newsletter.[1][2] Martin Gardner debunked much of the list in an article in Scientific American, later reprinted in his book, The Magic Numbers of Dr. Matrix.[3] Gardner's version of the list contained 16 items; many subsequent versions have circulated having much longer lists. The list is still in circulation today, having endured in the popular imagination for over 40 years. A more recent debunking of the list is available online.[4]
In 1992, the Skeptical Inquirer ran a "Spooky Presidential Coincidences Contest". One winner found a series of sixteen similar coincidences between Kennedy and former Mexican President Álvaro Obregón, while the other came up with similar lists for twenty-one pairs of US Presidents.[5]
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[edit] The list
An example of a shorter version of the list is presented here for illustration. Much of the list has been debunked, and some entries are outright falsehoods, such as the assertion that President Kennedy was, in fact, President Lincoln. Some urban folklorists have postulated that the list provided a way for people to make sense of two tragic events in American history by seeking out patterns.[4] However, as Gardner and others have pointed out, while it is relatively easy to find seemingly meaningful patterns relating any two people or events, such patterns often do not stand up to rigorous scrutiny.
- Both presidents were elected to the presidency in '60 and inaugurated in '61.
- Both were runners-up for the party's nomination for vice-president in '56.
- Both successors were Southern Democrats named Johnson born in '08.
- Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, which became law in 1863. In 1963, Kennedy presented his reports to Congress on Civil Rights, and the same year was the famous March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
- Both presidents were shot in the back of the head and in the presence of their wives.
- Both presidents were shot on a Friday.
- Lincoln was shot at Ford's Theater. Kennedy was shot in a Ford car; a Lincoln limousine.
- Both Oswald and Booth were assassinated before they could be put on trial.
- Lincoln and Kennedy each have 7 letters.
- John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald each have 15 letters.
- There are 6 letters in each Johnson's first name (Andrew and Lyndon).
- Booth shot Lincoln in a theater and hid in a warehouse (a barn), while Oswald shot Kennedy from a warehouse and hid in a theater.[6]
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[edit] Coincidences
Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846. John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.
Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860. John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.
The names Lincoln and Kennedy each contain seven letters. Both were particularly concerned with civil rights. Both wives lost their children while living in the White House. Both Presidents were shot on a Friday. Both were shot in the head.
Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy. Kennedy's secretary was named Lincoln.
Both were assassinated by Southerners. Both were succeeded by Southerners. Both successors were named Johnson.
Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808. Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.
John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839. Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939. Both assassins were known by their full names. Both names comprise fifteen letters. Booth ran from the theater and was caught in a warehouse. Oswald ran from a warehouse and was caught in a theater. Booth and Oswald were both assassinated before their trials.
[edit] See also
- Curse of Tippecanoe details the pattern where every United States President elected (or reelected) every twentieth year has died in office.
[edit] References
- ^ A Compendium of Curious Coincidences, TIME, Aug 21, 1964
- ^ Newsweek, Aug 10, 1964
- ^ The Magic Numbers of Dr. Matrix By Martin Gardner. 1985. Prometheus Books. Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 84-43183, ISBN 0-87975-281-5 (cloth), 0-87975-282-3 (paper) (This was previously titled The Numerology of Dr. Matrix. It contains all of The Incredible Dr. Matrix, plus four more chapters.)
- ^ a b http://www.snopes.com/history/american/lincoln-kennedy.asp
- ^ Coincidences: Remarkable or Random?
- ^ According to: The Death of John Wilkes Booth, 1865, Booth was chased to a "tobacco shed" and killed, Oswald was caught in a movie theater and taken alive.
