Few events can stir up a scandal more than an autobiography of a First Ladys confidante. In 1868, a controversial tell-all called Behind the Scenes introduced readers to Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley. Mrs. Keckley was a former slave who had been Mary Todd Lincolns dressmaker and friend during the White House years, and in the aftermath of President Lincolns assassination. The book exposed Marys marriage and her erratic behavior, along with confidential opinions of many in high society. The airing of the Lincoln's "dirty laundry" meant humiliation for Mary and her family, and Elizabeths reputation was destroyed. This outcome would have been unimaginable in 1867, when Mary declared in a letter, "I consider you my best living friend." How could such a bond have developed between a woman born into slavery and the First Lady of the United States? Mrs. Lincolns Dressmaker answers this question by chronicling the extraordinary lives of these women.