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Cotton Gin Is Invented
Whitney had designed and constructed the cotton gin, a machine that automated the separation of cottonseed from the short-staple cotton fiber. -
Elizabeth Is Born
Elizabeth was born in Dinwiddie, Virginia. Her official birthdate is unknown. -
Missouri Compromise Is Passed
Missouri Compromise, admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state. Maine immediately gives right to vote and education to all male citizens. -
At The Age of Four, Elizabeth Begins Official Work
"Keckley lived in the Burwell house with her mother and began official duties at age 4. As the Burwells had four children under age 10, Mary assigned Elizabeth to be the nursemaid for their infant Elizabeth Margaret.[5] Forced into major responsibility as a young child, Keckley was subject to punishment for failing to care properly for the baby. One day she accidentally tipped the cradle over too far, and the infant rolled onto the floor. Mary Burwell beat her severely." -
Sturgeon Invents The Telegraph
An electromagnetic telegraph was invented in 1825 by British inventor William Sturgeon and was patented to Samuel Morse in 1832. -
Underground Railroad Is Established
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Elizabeth Moves To Chesterfield County
Keckley was sent to live "on generous loan" with the eldest Burwell son Robert in Chesterfield County, Virginia, near Petersburg, when he married Margaret Anna Robertson. She resided here in uncomfort for the next 4 years. -
Depression Begins
The Depression beginss with the "Panic of 1837" -
Elizabeth Births George And Returns to VA
A prominent white man of the community, Alexander M. Kirkland, forced a sexual relationship on Elizabeth for 4 years of what she called "suffering and deep mortification." She bore Kirkland's son and named him George after her stepfather; afterwards she was returned to Virginia, where she served Ann Burwell Garland and her husband. -
Elizabeth and Her Son Are Freed
"Keckley met her future husband James in St. Louis but refused to marry him until she and her son were free. When she asked Hugh Garland to free them and he refused, she worked for 2 years to persuade him. In 1852 he agreed to release them for $1,200." -
Elizabeth Starts Teaching Her Own Classes
"She and her son moved to Baltimore, Maryland. She intended to run classes for young "colored women" to teach her system of cutting and fitting dresses. But after 6 weeks she had hardly enough money to get to Washington, DC, which she thought might offer better chances for work." -
Elizabeth Makes First Dress For Mrs. Lincoln
Elizabeth made her first dress for the First Lady, Mary Lincoln Todd. She becomes the sole designer of all the First Lady's dresses. -
Son George Dies In The Army
"Elizabeth's son died severing as a solider with the Union Forces. Since he was 3/4 white he was able to pass as white to join the army." -
Period: to
American Civil War
American Civil War, also called War Between the States, four-year war between the United States and 11 Southern states that seceded from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America. -
Rockefeller Oil Refinery
John D. Rockefeller set up an oil refinery near Cleveland, Ohio. He was 24 years old. -
Elizabeth Writes Behind The Scenes
After Lincoln is assignated Elizabeth wrote a booke titled Behind the Scenes telling about her time in the White House. She was 50 when she wrote the book. People thought it was rude to write a "tell all" book and refused to buy her dresses. -
Civil Rights Act Passed
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Telephone Is Invented
The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876, with the help ofhis assistant Thomas A. Watson. Mr. Bell was originally from Scotland and came to Boston, Massachusetts in 1872. Mr. Bell got the idea for the telephone from a German inventor, Hermann von Helmholz. -
Civil Rights Act Unconstitutional
Civil Rights Act of 1875 declared unconstitutional -
AFL Is Formed
The American Federation of Labor was formed to fight for laborers. -
Elizbeth Teaches At Wilberforce University
Elizabeth gets a job teaching sewing skills at Wilberforce University. -
Elizabeth Dies At Age 89
"Mrs. Keckley died as a resident of the National Home, located on Euclid St. NW. in Washington, D.C. She was interred at Columbian Harmony Cemetery. Her remains were transferred to National Harmony Memorial Park in Landover, Maryland, in 1960 when Columbian Harmony closed and the land was sold."
