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The History and Evolution of American Funeral Practices

Join us for a FREE virtual program on Oct. 25 at 6:30 p.m. EST!

Are you curious to learn more about the funeral and mourning practices of your ancestors? Why do we embalm the deceased? Why are funerals so expensive? Is there a reason coffins are shaped the way they are? Where does the tradition of viewing the body come from? Ceremonies for honoring the deceased are crucial parts of our lives, but few people know where our traditional practices come from—and what they reveal about our history, culture, and beliefs about death. Author of the book Last Rites, Todd Harra will explore the history of American funeral customs— where they came from, what they mean, and how they are still evolving.

Todd Harra is the co-author of the Amazon bestselling books Mortuary Confidential: Undertakers Spill the Dirt and Over Our Dead Bodies: Undertakers Lift the Lid, as well as the Clip Undertaker mystery series, Grave Matters and Patient Zero, and more recently the funeral history book, Last Rites: The Evolution of the American Funeral. He works for the family business McCrery & Harra Funeral Homes and Crematory in Wilmington, Delaware. Todd is a graduate of Elon University, the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service, and certified by Fountain National Academy. He is a funeral director, embalmer, post-mortem reconstructionist, and cremationist.

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