Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker

Elizabeth Keckley is a former slave who had purchased her and her son’s freedom after many years of slavery.  The story starts when Elizabeth moves to Washington, D.C., to set up her dressmaking business.  As her expertise in sewing becomes known, Elizabeth finds herself sewing for the elite in the nation’s capital, including the new First Lady – Mrs. Lincoln.  The story describes Elizabeth’s experiences while working for Mrs. Lincoln and how she became what she considered the First Lady’s confidante.  There are also telling descriptions of the politics and life in D.C. during the Civil War, and Mrs. Lincoln’s life after the President’s assassination.