Born: Into slavery, (exact date unknown), February, 1817/18
Birthplace: Dinwiddie County, Virginia
Died: May, 1907, Washington, D.C.
Known for: The exquisite fit of her garments, being first lady Mary Todd Lincoln’s seamstress/stylist.
Famous Clients: Mary Todd Lincoln, Mary Anna Custis Lee, Varina Davis, and Adele Cutts Douglas.
Retail Category: Custom designed and made fashion apparel for politicians’ wives and socialites.
YouTube:
My Black Heritage: Elizabeth Keckley – From Slave to First Lady’s Personal Stylist & Friend
Smithsonian Channel: The Bond Between Mary Todd Lincoln and her Seamstress
Interesting Facts:
- She was also an educator.
- A social activist.
- She authored her memoir Behind the Scenes, or Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House, published in 1868.
Attributions:
Header Photo: Elizabeth Keckley circa 1861. Photo: Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University