Twelve Years a Slave

Twelve Years a Slave is a book written by Solomon Northup a free Black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the American South in the 19th century. The book provides a firsthand account of Northups experiences as a slave including the brutal treatment he endured at the hands of his various owners and overseers. Northup was a musician and a farmer living in New York when he was abducted and taken to the South where he was sold to several different owners over the course of 12 years. During his time in slavery Northup witnessed and experienced unspeakable violence and cruelty but he also witnessed acts of kindness and compassion from some of the people he encountered. After 12 years in captivity Northup was eventually able to regain his freedom with the help of a sympathetic white man. He later wrote Twelve Years a Slave in order to document his experiences and bring attention to the injustices of the American system of slavery.