Elizabeth Keckley's "Behind the Scenes at the Lincoln White House

[Jim Garrett]

(02-25-2013 02:12 PM)Laurie Verge Wrote:  I need to check on this again, but for some reason the back of my mind is telling me that the publisher and editor of the book had something to do with making its content a bit "juicier." Our librarian at Surratt House is the expert on Mrs. Keckly.

Laurie, you are correct. Ms. Keckley trusted her publisher. When she turned in her manuscript to the publisher, she gave him all of her material including all the personal correspondence between her and Mrs. Lincoln. The publisher saw a much greater potential revising the manuscript into what was published with Mrs. Keckley not benefiting from seeing the final manuscript before publication. She was horrified and embarrassed at the book and it did drive a huge wedge in the Keckly/Lincoln relationship.

As some may know, Rich Smyth found Mrs. Keckley's grave in Landover Md a few years back. Rich is on a cruise for the next week, so I have taken the liberty of tooting his horn!