Project Gutenberg 2008-03-31 Public domain in the USA. 772 Keckley, Elizabeth 1818 1907 Keckly, Elizabeth Behind the Scenes; or, Thirty years a slave, and Four Years in the White House Produced by Suzanne Shell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "Behind the Scenes; or, Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House" by Elizabeth Keckley is a historical account written in the mid-19th century. The narrative revolves around Keckley's life story, detailing her experiences as a former slave and her subsequent years of work as a modiste (dressmaker) and confidante for Mary Todd Lincoln, the wife of President Abraham Lincoln. This account provides insight into the complexities of slavery, the personal trials and tribulations Keckley faced, and her view of significant historical events during her time in the White House. The opening of the book reveals Elizabeth Keckley's reflections on her life as a slave in Virginia, describing her childhood, the separation from her family, and the cruel realities of her situation. She recalls pivotal moments that shaped her character, including the harsh treatment she endured and the love she had for her parents. Keckley articulates her journey to freedom, detailing her determination to escape the bonds of slavery and ultimately purchase her own freedom and that of her son. Through her candid narratives, Keckley sets the stage for her eventual connection with Mrs. Lincoln and her unique perspective on life in the White House as the Civil War unfolds. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 81.0 (6th grade). Easy to read. en Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 Slavery -- United States Lincoln, Mary Todd, 1818-1882 Keckley, Elizabeth, approximately 1818-1907 Enslaved women -- United States -- Biography African American women -- Biography CT E456 Text Slavery Category: Biographies Category: History - American Category: History - Modern (1750+) Category: Parenthood & Family Relations 380069 2025-08-10T09:51:02.293523 text/html 381551 2008-03-31T10:51:54 text/html 247289 2025-08-10T09:51:11.291500 application/epub+zip 251874 2025-08-10T09:51:06.116529 application/epub+zip 205811 2025-08-10T09:51:04.727539 application/epub+zip 539817 2025-08-10T09:51:15.131451 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 514795 2025-08-10T09:51:10.278529 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 469072 2022-09-11T12:56:40.250467 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 350287 2025-08-10T09:51:01.539545 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 350038 2008-03-31T10:57:06 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 350029 2008-03-31T10:57:50 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 22560 2025-08-10T09:51:15.281465 application/rdf+xml 24620 2025-08-10T09:51:05.234520 image/jpeg 4843 2025-08-10T09:51:04.981501 image/jpeg 132178 2008-03-31T10:59:32 application/octet-stream application/zip 140434 2008-03-31T10:59:32 application/octet-stream application/zip 132153 2008-03-31T10:59:32 application/octet-stream application/zip 238984 2025-08-10T09:51:02.324564 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia