NARRATIVE: Elizabeth Keckley was a former slave who bought her own freedom and blazed her own trail into the White House as the official dressmaker to the Lincolns. Throughout her life, she was instrumental in helping other slaves become free and she quickly became, not only, the official dressmaker to the Lincoln’s, but also Mary Todd’s closest confidant and dearest friend. She sewed many beautiful dresses for Mary Todd and was always present to comfort and serve the Lincolns in their times of deepest sorrow.

When the Lincoln’s youngest son Willie became sick and died, Elizabeth was asked to care for him through his illness during the final days of his life and to wash and dress him prior to the Lincoln’s saying goodbye to their son. She spent her life serving others as a free woman, not because she was forced to, but because she chose to. I love the visual of Elizabeth working hours on end and into the night to whip stitch a new mourning dress for her best friend Mary in her time of mourning, even as Elizabeth was also mourning, being such a close friend to their family, likely tears streaming down her face as she sewed.