Considered by many to be our country’s greatest leader and one of the most beloved presidents in history, there are only 130 known images of Abraham Lincoln on record. Credited with ending slavery and leading the nation out of one of our darkest periods, Lincoln’s life and legacy were cut short that fateful night at Ford’s Theater in 1865. Today, only limited items and a selection of known and verified photographs remain of the 16th president. But, is it possible another image exists? One that was taken of the president in secret after he was shot and has remained hidden for more than 150 years?
From Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas and directed by Oscar(R) nominated filmmaker Jason Cohen, THE LOST LINCOLN chronicles an investigation by professional authenticator, Dr. Whitny Braun to reveal extraordinary, groundbreaking evidence uncovering whether a newly discovered, secret photograph could be the 131st and final image of President Lincoln, taken after his infamous assassination. Her journey to discover the truth takes the viewer from Lincoln’s birthplace in Illinois to halls of the National Archives to the scene of his last moments alive in Ford’s Theater and the Petersen House.
April 14th, 1865 is remembered as one of the greatest tragedies in American history. While much about the events of that evening have been documented in history books and by biographers for decades, the hours spent at Petersen House where President Lincoln would ultimately succumb to his wounds, remain shrouded in mystery. After learning that an alleged photo of President Lincoln, taken in those final hours, exists, Dr. Braun, a professor of bioethics at Loma Linda University who has authenticated innumerable historical items in her tenure, sets out to prove the image’s authenticity using innovative forensics and facial recognition software, as well as in-sights from renowned historians and Lincoln biographers and scholars.
THE LOST LINCOLN premieres Sunday, October 4 at 9pm ET/PT on Discovery as part of UNDISCOVERED, the new Discovery documentary strand that explores some of our greatest mysteries, potentially rewriting the history books along the way.
In addition to watching THE LOST LINCOLN on Discovery, viewers can check out the special by downloading the Discovery GO app. Join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #LostLincoln and follow Discovery on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest updates.
With access to state-of-the-art technology, and by piecing together a detailed timeline of events with expert insights, THE LOST LINCOLN brings to light a piece of evidence with the potential to expose a tragic yet remarkable hour in American history. With findings from Dr. Bennet Omalu, a world-renowned forensic pathologist who was famously played by Will Smith in “Concussion”, Dr. Francis Palmer III, a globally recognized expert in facial evaluation, and firearms historian, Dr. James Braun, among others, the documentary peels away the layers of this over 150 year old mystery.
THE LOST LINCOLN is produced for Discovery by the recently Emmy-nominated production company, Unrealistic Ideas. For Unrealistic Ideas, Mark Walhberg, Stephen Levinson, and Archie Gips are executive producers. Paul Sadowski, Jason Cohen, and Whitny Braun also serve as executive producers. Co-executive producer is Javier Quintana. Jason Cohen is the director. For Discovery Channel: Howard Swartz and Igal Svet are executive producers and Joe Mazzeo is associate producer.
