Born in Virginia in 1818, Elizabeth Keckley grew up enslaved until she was able to purchase her and her son's freedom with money made from working as a seamstress. As she continued to perfect her craft, her styles caught the attention of the elite in Washington D.C. It wasn't until the day of Abraham Lincoln's inauguration that she crossed paths with Mary Todd Lincoln, who took Elizabeth on as her personal confidante and seamstress. Behind the Scenes not only offers an intimate look into the enslaved and free life of Elizabeth Keckley but also the lives of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln. At the time of publication, the lives of presidents and their families were private and not known to the public-this book gave everyone an idea of what it was like inside the White House.
Keckley's first 30 years were spent as a slave, and the cruelties and injustices of her life are related clearly and succinctly. This enlightening memoir recounts how she was beaten and how she became a dressmaker to support her master and his family, how determined she was to purchase freedom for herself and her son, how her friends in St. Louis came to her aid, how she became Mary Todd Lincoln's dressmaker and close friend, and her perspectives and experiences from her inside view of Lincoln's White House. Keckley emerges as a calm and confident person who speaks of a very tumultuous period of American history.
Keckley's first 30 years were spent as a slave, and the cruelties and injustices of her life are related clearly and succinctly. This enlightening memoir recounts how she was beaten and how she became a dressmaker to support her master and his family, how determined she was to purchase freedom for herself and her son, how her friends in St. Louis came to her aid, how she became Mary Todd Lincoln's dressmaker and close friend, and her perspectives and experiences from her inside view of Lincoln's White House. Keckley emerges as a calm and confident person who speaks of a very tumultuous period of American history.
An autobiographical narrative, Behind the Scenes in the Lincoln White House traces Elizabeth Keckley's life from her enslavement in Virginia and North Carolina to her time as seamstress to Mary Todd Lincoln in the White House during Abraham Lincoln's administration. It was quite controversial at the time of its release-an uncompromising work that transgressed Victorian boundaries between public and private life, and lines of race, gender, and society.
A former slave who became a successful dressmaker with her own business, became the dresser, dressmaker and confidante to Mary Todd Lincoln during Abraham Lincoln's presidential adminstration. Behind the Scenes tells the story of the rise of Elizabeth Keckley from abused slave to independent business woman to friend of the First Lady of the Land during the Civil War.
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter I. Where I was Born
Chapter II. Girlhood and its Sorrows
Chapter III. How I Gained My Freedom
Chapter IV. In the Family of Senator Jefferson Davis
Chapter V. My Introduction to Mrs. Lincoln
Chapter VI. Willie Lincoln's Death-bed
Chapter VII. Washington in 1862-3
Chapter VIII. Candid Opinions
Chapter IX. Behind the Scenes
Chapter X. The Second Inauguration
Chapter XI. The Assassination of President Lincoln
Chapter XII. Mrs. Lincoln Leaves the White House
Chapter XIII. The Origin of the Rivalry between Mr. Douglas and Mr. Lincoln
Chapter XIV. Old Friends
Chapter XV. The Secret History of Mrs. Lincoln's Wardrobe in New York
Appendix--Letters from Mrs. Lincoln to Mrs. Keckley
AUTHOR
Elizabeth Keckley
Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley (1818-1907) was a slave for more than 40 years and became a reknown seamstress, activist and author. The daughter of a house slave and her master, Keckley was taught to read and write, which was illegal and a rare priviledge. But her status did not protect her from a life of work that began at four years old and included severe abuse from her master's wife.
After purchasing her freedom as an adult, Keckley moved to Washington DC and her sewing talents soon garnered an impressive clientele of affluent legislators. Keckley's reknown brought her to the attention of Mary Todd Lincoln, and they immediately formed a strong bond.
Keckley met Mary Todd Lincoln on the day of Abraham's first inauguration and spent the next 6 years as the personal dressmaker and dresser for the First Lady. They remained close after the Lincolns left Washington. In an unfortunate attempt to help the nearly destitute former first lady, Keckley published her memoirs detailing the private lives of her owners and later the Lincolns.
The immediate reaction to Behind the Scenes was catastrophic for Keckley, Mary Todd Lincoln felt betrayed and attacked and refused to speak to her, her elite dressmaking clientele left her and critics everywhere exorciated Keckley for her ""honesty"". Keckley never fully recovered from the scandal and died alone and destitute.
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