Todd Van Beck, author and lecturer, will speak on “The Assassination and Funeral of President Abraham Lincoln” on Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m. in Cumberland University’s Vise Library. The event is free and open to the public.

“This is a story about a complicated conspiracy, an account of heroes and villains, of greed and charity, of forgiveness and revenge—and this program is made all the more enticing because it is absolutely true,” said Van Beck. The program is supplemented with more than 180 historic images from the time period surrounding the assassination, and a display of an exact replica of the coffin used in Abraham Lincoln’s funeral. An account of a little known aspect of the events following the murder, specifically, Lincoln’s grand funeral has been added for this event.

“This program is for everyone—even if you don’t like history. If you are intrigued by a great murder story, then you will not be disappointed by attending,” said Van Beck. Van Beck is an active author and lecturer on a variety of subjects concerning the funerals of the famous, the psychology of grief, and general management issues in the funeral service profession. He has published more than 800 professional articles, and 65 books and professional training manuals. His new book “Reverence for the Dead” was published in 2016. The lecture is the first event in the Vise Library Speaker Series. More information can be found on the library’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/CULibrary.