13 Unexpected Friendships Between Historical Figures

Former slave Elizabeth Keckley worked as the dressmaker of Mary Todd Lincoln. Despite being of different races and hailing from contrasting social backgrounds, the two women became close friends. In addition to being a skilled dressmaker, Keckley was also a kind woman who supported her friend Mary when the latter lost a child.

Jazz icon, Ella Fitzgerald, and Hollywood star, Marilyn Monroe, shared a beautiful friendship that defied all odds. Fitzgerald was a woman of color who often faced discrimination because of her race. Monroe, a white woman, was a true ally to her friend and stood in solidarity with her whenever she faced racial discrimination.

Irish novelist, playwright, and short-story writer, Samuel Beckett, was an interesting personality known for offering a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human existence through his works. He was good friends with Andre the Giant, a French professional wrestler and actor. The wide age gap between the men did not matter to either and they enjoyed each other's company.