Behind the Scenes, or, Thirty Years a Slave, And Four Years in the White House

First published in 1868, ‘Behind the Scenes, or, Thirty Years a Slave, And Four Years in the White House’ is both a slave narrative and a portrait of the First Family, especially Mary Todd Lincoln by Elizabeth Keckley, a successful seamstress, civil activist, and author in Washington, DC. She was born into slavery and experienced a traumatic upbringing riddled with physical and sexual violence.
Keckley discloses the adversities of slavery and the changing political climate in Washington amongst the country’s most powerful couple, Abraham and Mary Lincoln. Keckley had unprecedented access, giving insight into their state during and after the Civil War. This is a difficult story of one woman’s unshakable drive. Despite her limiting circumstances, Keckley earned her freedom and became a successful entrepreneur. It’s an inspiring tale that provides a personal account of one of the most volatile times in American history.