’12 Years a Slave’ is the harrowing, true account of a free Black man living in New York during the early 1800’s who is kidnaped, transported to Louisiana and forced to work and live as a slave for over a decade. Written by the man who experienced these horrors – Solomon Northup – this book is a powerful and disturbing first-hand account of what it was like to live under the lash and chronicles the torments Northup endured in attempting to escape his captors and return home to his family in New York.
Northup’s book was an immediate sensation when it was first published and was often singled out by the abolitionist movement as a foundational document in the argument to end the dehumanizing and morally bankrupt practice of human slavery in America. In 2013, it was the basis for the award-winning film of the same name. ’12 Years a Slave’ is presented here in its original and unabridged format.
About the author
Solomon Northup was born in July of 1808 to freed slave Mintus Northup and grew up a free man – with his older brother Joseph – on his father’s farm in New York, studying books and learning the violin.On Christmas Day of 1829, Mr. Northup married Anne Hampton – a woman of multi-racial descent – and the couple had three children – Elizabeth, Margaret and Alonzo.As related in this book, Mr. Northup was kidnapped and transported to Louisiana in 1841, where he lived as a slave for over a decade, finally securing his release -with the help of lawyer Henry B. Northup – and returning home in 1853 and penning this novel.Following the release and subsequent success of 12 Years a Slave, Mr. Northup became a lecturer for the abolitionist cause and even worked with the Underground Railroad, helping men and women escape bondage and flee to Canada.Mr. Northup thereafter stepped away from public life and is believed to have died in 1863.
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