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This is the life story of Elizabeth Keckley, a shrewd entrepreneur who, while enslaved, raised enough money to purchase freedom for herself and her son. Keckley moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked as a seamstress and dressmaker for the wives of influential politicians. She eventually became a close confidante of Mary Todd Lincoln. Several years after President Lincoln's assassination, when Mrs Lincoln's financial situation had worsened, Keckley helped organize an auction of the former first lady's dresses, eliciting strong criticism from members of the Washington elite.

Slaves --- Dressmakers --- Women slaves --- African American women --- Seamsters --- Clothing workers --- Lincoln, Abraham, --- Lincoln, Mary Todd, --- Keckley, Elizabeth, --- Linkŭln, Abrakham, --- Linkolʹn, Avraam, --- Linkūln, Ibrāhīm, --- Linkan, ʼAbrehām, --- Lincoln, A. --- Lin-kʻen, --- Linken, --- Lin, Kʻen, --- Lingkʻŏn, --- Lincoln, Abe, --- Liṅkan, Ēbrāhaṃ, --- Liṅkan, Abrahāṃ, --- לינקאלין, --- לינקאלן, אייברעהעם, --- לינקולן, אברהם --- 林肯, --- Liṅkana, Ābrāhama, --- Todd, Mary Ann, --- Garland, Elizabeth, --- Garland, Lizzie, --- Garland, Lizzy, --- Keckley, Lizzie, --- Keckley, Lizzy, --- Keckly, Elizabeth, --- Keckly, Lizzie, --- Keckly, Lizzy, --- Relations with African Americans. --- Enslaved women --- Women, Enslaved --- Enslaved persons