Forty-five feet below the iconic sculpture of the former president is the sketch of a woman suspected to be Theda Bara — a scandalous silent film star from the time of the Memorial’s construction.

“Audiences came to see her as the arch-symbol of forbidden sex,” author Roy Liebman wrote in his 2023 book, “Theda Bara, Her Career, Life and Legend.” She was “the heedless vampire who ...

The Washington Post reported that the image could be that of screen femme fatale Theda Bara, who epitomized the vamp (female vampire) image and was a huge star during the silent age of cinema.

Century-old graffiti under the Lincoln Memorial may depict silent-film star Theda Bara, with a profile sketch and the word "Vamp" found on the pillars in the basement. National Park Service ...

An artist’s sketch of a woman hidden on concrete walls deep in the undercroft, or basement, of the Lincoln Memorial for over a century may be graffiti of the early film star Theda Bara ...