Spanning nearly a century of a lifetime is the story of Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley. Born into slavery in Dinwiddie County, Virginia in 1818, Elizabeth endured a dark and painful life for thirty seven years as an enslaved woman.

As a gifted and skilled dressmaker, she drew upon her earnings to purchase her freedom along with her son's and journeyed to Washington, D.C. where she established a business offering her dressmaking services.

Her exceptional craftsmanship caught the attention of Washington's elite women that led her to be appointed as the official "Modiste" (dressmaker) to the First Lady, Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln, a first in the White House's history.

The book takes you on an inside look at Elizabeth's commitment and dedication to her craft as a couturier during some of the most poignant and critical times in the nation's history. It tells of her intimate friendship and loyalty to Mrs. Lincoln that made her Mrs. Lincoln's closest confidante.

"Lizzy" is the story of a woman who endured the unspeakable and defied all odds. It is a testimony of her exceptional achievement not only as an instrumental force in the Abolitionist movement, Civil War and post-War efforts, but is also a story that magnifies her innovation, precision, focus and unmatched skill that made her an haute couture virtuoso, a self-made entrepreneur and single mother and arguably the very first American couturier who established a fashion house catering to the elite and most discerning women of the time.

"Elizabeth Keckley was a prolific woman whose work left behind a heritage that was indelibly spectacular and profound. What she was able to accomplish during her lifetime is astounding. Her story is one of Faith, Courage, Perseverance and a Brilliant Legacy of Staying Power." Author, C. Georgina C.