Behind the Scenes

Written by Elizabeth Keckley

Narrated by Mary Robinson

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: JSX Publishing Inc.
• Release date: Aug 23, 2020
• ISBN: 9798868688362

Elizabeth Keckley

Elizabeth Keckley (1818–1907) was a formerly enslaved woman who used her skills as a seamstress to purchase her own freedom. Born in Virginia, she was owned by a local planter and later, his daughter. Despite her status, Elizabeth was recognized for her talent, which she used to support the family. She then raised enough money to buy her freedom and move to Washington D.C. It was there that she started a business, making connections with the political elite, including Mary Todd Lincoln. Later, Keckley would detail the events of her tumultuous life in the autobiography Behind the Scenes (1868).