Born into bondage in 1818, Elizabeth Keckley was able to purchase her freedom only after years of saving. She then went on to build a thriving business as a seamstress, eventually becoming modiste to Mary Todd Lincoln herself. In this dressmaking role, Keckley was a close confidante of Mary Todd, and her 1868 memoir recounted her incredible rise while also providing revelatory insights into everyday life among the Lincolns. The public response was utter shock at the perceived violation of privacy, but today, Keckley’s memoir has a special place in American political history as a poignant reflection on the First Family and a substantial record of the White House during the Civil War.

Revised edition: Previously published as Behind the Scenes or, Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House, this edition of Behind the Scenes; or, Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.