During the days of slavery in the United States, agricultural labor was the majority of the workload on plantations, however, this was not the only work enslaved people were forced into doing. Textile work and the craft of sewing were amongst several of the other roles in which enslaved people were involved. On various occasions enslaved women crafted fine fashion and intricate designs for the elite southern white women. These women were highly skilled in their artisan understanding of the complex techniques of being a seamstress. One of these brilliant seamstresses was Elizabeth Keckley. Keckley was born into slavery in 1818 in the state of Virginia. At a young age, Keckley unlike most enslaved people at the time, was allowed to learn to read and write as well as learned how to sew.
Until 1860, Keckley continued her craft as a seamstress and dressmaker in St. Louis, made enough money to pay those who helped her gain her freedom and moved to Washington, D.C. with her son. Keckley made a living by making dresses for some of the wives of the wealthiest men in D.C. and was known to be the best dressmaker in the city. Keckley created a dress for the inauguration of President Abraham Lincoln for his wife First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. Keckley was an activist during the Civil War, opened her dress shop, published her autobiography and in 1890 was head of the Department of Sewing and Domestic Science Arts at the HBCU Wilberforce University. Keckley died at the age of 89 in 1907.
Sources: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/elizabeth-keckley
