Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley initially made history as the first Black woman who became the fashion designer for the White House. Though Keckley died in May 1907, Sarah Jessica Parker just paid homage to her at the Met Gala 2022 with her carefully thought out ensemble. 

Keckley was a former slave who moved to Washington DC from Virginia in 1860 and went on to become the official dressmaker to Mary Todd Lincoln, the First Lady at the time. The fashion designer also dressed many of Washington’s socialites as outlined in her memoir “Behind the Scenes or Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House.” 

Early life:

She was born in February 1818 in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. Despite being born into slavery and undergoing many hardships, Keckley eventually decided to make money with the skills honed as a seamstress. She worked for the Garlands at the time and with their connections, quickly found herself taking orders for dresses from the best ladies of St Louis. 

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While she struggled to raise money for her freedom, her work won her the support of patrons, who assisted. Ultimately, it fell upon Keckley to work as a seamstress, pay off her loans and eventually moved to Washington. 

A foot in the White House

In Washington, Keckley was approached by one of her patrons, Margaret McClean, who wanted her to make a dress on short notice for a dinner with the Lincolns. When the dressmaker refused, McClean said “I have often heard you say that you would like to work for the ladies of the White House. Well, I have it in my power to obtain you this privilege.”

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Spurred by this, Keckley made the dress which McClean liked, and was subsequently recommended to the First Lady, therefore beginning her time at the White House, which only ended after the President’s assassination.