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Behind the Scenes; or, Thirty years a slave, and Four Years in the White House cover

Behind the Scenes; or, Thirty years a slave, and Four Years in the White House

By Elizabeth Keckley
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BiographiesHistory - AmericanHistory - Modern (1750+)Parenthood & Family Relations

About This Book

The memoir recounts a life that begins in enslavement and follows the author's struggle for freedom, her later career as a skilled dressmaker, and her close personal and professional relationship with the First Lady. It combines personal narrative and documentary records to describe social life in Washington, eyewitness accounts of a presidential inauguration, a White House deathbed and assassination, and the First Lady's departure from the executive mansion. Chapters mix reminiscence, candid opinions of public figures, behind-the-scenes detail about wardrobe and household management, and appended correspondence from the First Lady.

About the Author

Keckley, Elizabeth portrait

Elizabeth Keckley

Elizabeth Keckley was an African American seamstress, author, and former enslaved person, best known for her memoir "Behind the Scenes; or, Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House." Born into slavery, she gained her freedom and became a prominent figure in Washington, D.C., where she worked for Mary Todd Lincoln, the wife of President Abraham Lincoln. Keckley's writing provides a unique perspective on the social and political climate of her time, offering insights into the lives of both enslaved individuals and the elite. Her contributions to literature and history highlight the complexities of race, class, and gender in 19th-century America.

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