Mudd Day is observed annually on December 20, commemorating the birthday of Samuel Mudd, a physician whose reputation was marred by his association with John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln. Born in 1833 in Charles County, Maryland, Mudd practiced medicine and owned a tobacco plantation, where he enslaved at least five individuals before the abolition of slavery in Maryland in 1864. His connection to Booth began when the actor sought to buy Mudd's property, and after Booth shot Lincoln on April 14, 1865, he sought medical assistance from Mudd. Although Mudd treated Booth's injury, his failure to report the encounter led to his arrest and conviction for conspiracy to murder, resulting in a life sentence. Mudd was pardoned after nearly four years in prison, but his conviction was never overturned. Mudd Day serves as a reminder to be cautious about associations, although it is not widely recognized as a formal holiday.