Keckley did not foresee the overwhelming public disapproval for publishing personal details about mrs. Summary of behind the scenes, or, thirty years a slave. Lincolns dressmaker, was a freed slave who lived part of her life in st. How former slave elizabeth keckley befriended the lincolns.
Keckley clothing was named after elizabeth hobbs keckley, a former slave who became a successful seamstress, civil activist, and author. However, as elizabeth stated regretfully in 1901, i never received a dollar from the publication of that book. Behind the scenes, formerly a slave, by elizabeth keckley, thirty years a slave, and four years in the white house, elizabeth hobbs keckley sometimes spelled keckly. Elizabeth keckley was born into slavery in 1818 in virginia. Abraham lincoln, or, thirty years a slave, and four years in the white house 1868. Or, thirty years a slave and four years in the white house, p. Or, thirty years a slave and four years in the white house. She developed into an accomplished seamstress and the income from her dressmaking supported the. Her birth date is variously given from 1818 to 1824 based on different documents that report her age.
Lincoln financially and partly to counter criticism of mrs. Elizabeth keckley was a black slave who, through a series of circumstances that led to her freedom, was commissioned by mary todd. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read behind the scenes. The story of elizabeth keckley is more well known than many colored women of her era not only because she was a. Lincoln to work as her dressmaker and became her friend and confidant. Elizabeth hobbs keckly 18181907 was a former slave turned successful seamstress who is most notably known as being mary todd lincolnas personal modiste and confidante, and the author of her autobiography, behind the scenes.
Elizabeth hobbs keckley was an africanamerican woman who was born into slavery in the dinwiddle county court house, virginia in the united states. Elizabeth hobbs keckley was born around 1818 in virginia, a slave of the burwell family. Robert burwell, her masters son, who lived in north carolina. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. Jennifer fleischner writes of the reaction to keckleys book. Elizabeth hobbs keckley february 1818 may 1907 was a former slave turned successful seamstress who is most notably known as being mary todd lincolns personal modiste and confidante, and the author of her autobiography, behind the scenes or, thirty years a slave and four years in the white house. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern edition complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author. However, the book is also a stunning account of what life was like for a black woman in nineteenth century america, and offers a remarkable vantage point. Her softspoken, upbeat personality helped calm the presidents wiferead more. Dec 31, 2018 elizabeth keckley was a former slave who became the dressmaker and friend of mary todd lincoln and a frequent visitor to the white house during the presidency of abraham lincoln. Her skills brought her to the attention of mary todd lincoln, who hired keckley in 1861. Born at the dinwiddie court house, virginia, she was a dressmaker, seamstress, and personal maid to president abraham lincolns wife, mary todd. She was a black domestic, author, and abolitionist.
Behind the scenes, or, thirty years a slave and four years in the white house ebook written by elizabeth keckley. Behind the scenes elizabeth keckley all you can books. Keckley also wrote one of the most valuable slave narratives in american history and. When i was about fourteen years old i went to live with my masters eldest son, a presbyterian minister. Originally published in 1868when it was attacked as an indecent book authored by a traitorous eavesdropperbehind the scenes is the story of elizabeth keckley, who began her life as a slave and became a privileged witness to the presidency of abraham lincoln. Born into slavery in 1818, elizabeth hobbs keckley also spelled keckly learned to sew from her mother and this skill would eventually bring her freedom and success. The authenticity of behind the scenes has never been questioned. Author elizabeth hobbs keckley writes about her teenage years, working as a slave for the rev. Entering the theater, i was unfamiliar with the details of keckley s life though i knew the basic story about her postcivil war troubles with mrs. Or, thirty years a slave and four years in the white house by keckley, elizabeth and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Born into slavery in 1818, elizabeth hobbs keckley also spelled keckly learned to sew from her mother and this skill would eventually bring her freedom and. Elizabeth keckley was a former slave who became the dressmaker and friend of mary todd lincoln and a frequent visitor to the white house during the presidency of abraham lincoln.
Or, thirty years a slave and four years in the white house ebook written by elizabeth keckley. Middlesex county behind the cultural and heritage scenes. Burwell was a plantation owner with 70 slaves and a colonel in the u. Born a slave in dinwiddie county, elizabeth hobbs keckley 18181907. Former slave elizabeth keckley and the contraband of. Elizabeth hobbs keckley circa feb 1818 may 1907 was former slave who became a successful businesswoman seamstressfashion designer, civic activist, author and close friend, confidante and advisor to mary todd lincoln, wife of president abraham lincoln. Keckley had moved to washington in 1860 after buying her freedom and. Sold at the age of 14 elizabeth was sold to be a slave at another home where she was severly beaten and attacked. Elizabeth hobbs keckley was a former slave who became a successful seamstress, civil activist.
Mar 31, 2008 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. See more ideas about mary todd lincoln, women in history and black history. A slave girls story an online book by kate drumgoold pins audio old cloth audio engines of our ingenuity. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read behind the scenes, or, thirty years a slave and four years in the white house. Lizzie keckley wrote a book, behind the scenes, about the life of mary todd lincoln, and the happenings in the white house during lincolns tenure. Former slave elizabeth keckley and the contraband of washington dc, 1862. In 1862 she was living in washington dc and working as a skilled dressmaker. Behind the scenes by elizabeth keckley, paperback barnes. Elizabeth keckley, mary lincolns dressmaker and friend. Elizabeth hobbs keckly later taught in the department of sewing and domestic science arts at willberforce university in ohio. Imprint satement of place, publisher and date of publication on a books title page. Keckley, elizabeth hobbs american national biography.
Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Poems from the lake by hobbs, elizabeth and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. If you like, you can change the digest interval below. Her childhood was hard, and she began assisting in the household at a young age. She provides a unique perspective of preindustrial life in america, as well as intriguing commentary of both her white and black. Part slave narrative, part memoir, and part sentimental fiction, behind the scenes depicts elizabeth keckley s years as a slave and subsequent four years in abraham lincolns white house during the civil war 18611865. Today, behind the scenes is recognized as a rare and outstanding example of. Louis to become the modiste and confidante of first lady mary todd lincoln, articulated in her autobiography, behind the scenes. Books by elizabeth keckley author of 12 years a slave. Abraham lincoln, or, thirty years a slave, and four years in the white house. The following is an excerpt from her book thirty years a slave, published in 1868.
Elizabeth hobbs keckley is best known as mary lincolns dressmaker and confidant and as the author of behind the scenes by elizabeth keckley, formerly a slave, but more recently modiste, and friend to mrs. Behind the scenes, or, thirty years a slave and four years in the. An examination of harriet powers and elizabeth hobbs keckley, i hope to thoroughly demonstrate how african american quilts functioned on several levels in nineteenth century america. Books by elizabeth keckley author of 12 years a slave gold. Elizabeth keckley white house historical association. I copy it from the scrapbook in which she pasted it, with many tears, with her own. The story of elizabeth keckley, formerslaveturnedmrs.
Her mother was a seamstress, and elizabeth was originally told that her father was george hobbs, a slave who lived on a plantation one hundred miles away. The book was very controversial and mary todds eldest son had the book removed from publication. Elizabeth hobbs keckley 18181907 was born a slave near dinwiddie. Keckley published behind the scenes, or, thirty years a slave, and four years in the white house in 1868, partly to help mrs. In 1868, keckley published a detailed account of her life in the autobiography behind the scenes. Theres a part at the end i ditched, a kind of invented bit where elizabeth gets into marys life before she met her filled with what mary said. Feb 27, 2016 you have subscribed to alerts for elizabeth keckley. Keckley was an accomplished dressmaker, entrepreneur, activist, and author. Social welfare history project keckley, elizabeth hobbs. Elizabeth keckley behind the scenes, or, thirty years a slave, and.
Dressmaker elizabeth keckley was born elizabeth hobbs, to a slave family in dinwiddie court house, virginia. The electronic edition is a part of the uncch digitization project, documenting the american south, beginnings to 1920. February 1818 may 19072 was a former slave who became a successful seamstress, civic activist and author in washington, dc. It has been extensively cited by lincoln biographers and a book examining the unusual friendship was published in 2003. Elizabeth hobbs keckley was born into slavery in north carolina. Elizabeth keckley was a black slave who bought her freedom, and worked for rich families as a seamstress, including working in the white house for marry todd lincoln. Elizabeth keckley author of 12 years a slave gold collection. Or, thirty years a slave and four years in the white house ebook.
Elizabeth hobbs keckley 18181907 was born a slave near dinwiddie court house, virginia, and, after purchasing her freedom, became head of the domestic science department at wilberforce university in ohio. Elizabeth hobbs keckley february 1818 may 1907 sometimes spelled keckly was a former slave who became a successful seamstress, civic activist and author in washington, dc. At times, issue refers to timing, such as the first. Elizabeth keckley timeline created by heatonsclass. Smashwords about elizabeth keckley, author of behind the. Although keckley apparently thought her revealing book would help restore her. Behind the scenes, or, thirty years a slave and four years in. Books by elizabeth keckley elizabeth keckley average rating 3. Volume two by sheila smith mckoy and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
You will receive an email alert if one or more of the authors youre following has a new release. Elizabeth hobbs keckley was a daughter of agnes, a slave of the burgwell family, and george pleasant, who was owned by a man named hobbs. Elizabeth hobbs keckley was born a slave in 1818 in dinwiddie, va. She was best known as the personal modiste and confidante of mary todd lincoln, the first lady.
Photo courtesy university of north carolina at chapel hill libraries. Other articles where elizabeth keckley is discussed. Half memoir, half fiction, this volume chronicles keckley s time spent as a slave and her later life in the white house during the american civil war. Author elizabeth hobbs keckley writes about her teenage years, working as a. Elizabeth keckley may be have spelled keckly, known as lizzie or madame elizabeth, was a former slave who was a seamstress and confidante to mary todd lincoln in the white house. If youve seen the steven spielberg movie, lincoln, you might have noticed v eteran a ctor gloria reuben in the role of elizabeth hobbs keckley, who was a constant companion of the first lady, mary todd lincoln.
An fascinating read by author elizabeth keckley herself, an insider to the lincoln white house. This vintage book contains elizabeth keckley s 1868 work, behind the scenes. I was born a slavewas the child of slave parentstherefore i came upon the earth free in godlike thought, but fettered in action. Elizabeth hobbs keckley was born in slavery in virginia around 1818 and purchased her freedom in 1855. Keckley bought her freedom at the age of thirtyseven and set up a. While in her teens she was sold to a north carolina slaveowner, and in north carolina she was raped, probably by her owner, and gave birth to a son. Her mother was a privileged slave and her father, who was revealed to her later in life, was her slave master, armistead burwell. Nov 26, 2009 it is known that mary todd lincoln cut elizabeth keckley off after mrs keckley wrote this book, but if you believe everything that mrs keckley says, mary todd lincoln owed mrs keckley a considerable amount of money for services rendered, so i dont see that it was any great loss to mrs keckley. A thorough study of her dressmaking legacy is still being uncovered, though, explained elizabeth way. Originally published in 1868when it was attacked as an indecent book authored. Typically early printed books and especially manuscripts. Born elizabeth was born a mixed race slave in virginia.
Elizabeth keckley was born as a slave in virginia about 1818. Elizabeth hobbs keckley 18181907 find a grave memorial. From slavery to modiste at the old globe theater in san diego, california. It is a fascinating book, filled with many recollections of her own life and her interactions with the lincolns and other members of the government elite. The book was published to great controversy in 1868many people were uncomfortable with the intimate details elizabeth keckley provided about the lincoln family and their private life in the white house. For the first eight years of elizabeth s life, hobbs visited his wife and child at christmas and easter. Elizabeth hobbs keckley february 1818 may 1907 was a former. Elizabeth hobbs keckley 18181907 was a slave, seamstress, civil activist and author. Behind the scenes, or, thirty years a slave, and four years in the white house. Elizabeth keckley, the first black fashion designer in white house i n 1818, elizabeth keckley was born a slave in dinwiddie, virginia, the property of armistead and mary burwell. Lincoln and one of her only confidantes in the time after president lincoln was assassinated dasheralston 1. Her memoir, which was ghostwritten and spelled her surname as keckley though she seemed to have written it as keckly and published in 1868, provided an. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author.
At the age of eighteen she was repurchased, along with her son, by the daughter of her original owner and taken to saint. Elizabeth hobbs keckley was a former slave who became a successful seamstress, civil activist, and author in washington. Or, thirty years a slave, and four years in the white house. Elizabeth hobbs keckley s story was not unlike many others, except that her master was actually a presbyterian minister. Born a slave in dinwiddie county, elizabeth hobbs keckley 18181907 purchased her freedom in 1855 and supported herself as a seamstress, first in st. Thirty years a slave and four years in the white house, the book that was meant to help ease some of mrs. You can view and manage by clicking to manage smashwords alerts. Although she encountered one hardship after another, with sheer determination, a network of supporters and valuable dressmaking skills, she eventually bought her freedom from her st. Elizabeth hobbs keckley was born into slavery in dinwiddie country, virginia in 1818. She endured a somewhat brutal life while growing up.
Elizabeth keckley, mary lincolns talented turncoat the. Elizabeth keckley biography, life, interesting facts. Oct 23, 2014 puzzled by elizabeth keckley, famously portrayed through time as mary lincolns only friend in washington. Elizabeth keckley is currently considered a single author. She developed into an accomplished seamstress and the income from her dressmaking supported the family that enslaved her. Elizabeth keckley documenting the american south homepage. American slave, seamstress, and author elizabeth keckley c. Issue a group of books issued by the publisher as a discrete unit. Elizabeth keckley primary author only author division. This is a wonderful autobiography of elizabeth keckley s unique life of a slave who buys her freedom as a seamstress, eventually working for both mrs jefferson before the war then mrs lincoln during the war.
February 1818 may 1907 was a former slave who became a successful seamstress, civil activist, and author in washington, dc. This is the autobiography of elizabeth keckley, a former slave who bought her freedom with the money she earned as a seamstress. Behind the scenes by elizabeth keckley free at loyal books. My birthplace was dinwiddie courthouse, in virginia. In june 2018 i had the opportunity to attend a production of the new stage play elizabeth hobbs keckley.