Elizabeth Keckly (c. 1820–1907)
Hillsborough, Orange County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
Elizabeth Keckly Ca. 1820 1907. Burwell family slave, bought freedom, 1855. Dressmaker & friend to Mary Todd Lincoln. Published her memoir, 1868. Lived here, 1830s.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
Elizabeth Keckly was born into slavery around 1820 and, as a young woman, lived among the Burwell family in Hillsborough. A gifted seamstress, she eventually bought her own freedom in 1855 and rose to become a celebrated Washington dressmaker and confidante to First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. Her 1868 memoir gave a rare, unflinching view from inside the Lincoln White House.
Why it matters
Keckly's journey from enslavement to the intimate circle of the presidency, and her decision to write her own story, makes her one of the most remarkable Black women of the nineteenth century.
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Related people
- · Elizabeth Keckly
- · Mary Todd Lincoln
Themes & tags
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