12 Years a Slave

Solomon Northup

nov 2022 · DigiCat

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Twelve Years a Slave is a memoir and slave narrative by Solomon Northup. Northup, a black man who was born free in New York state, details his being tricked to go to Washington, D.C., in 1841 where he was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Deep South. He was in bondage for 12 years in Louisiana before he was able to secretly get information to friends and family in New York, who in turn secured his release with the aid of the state. Northup's account provides extensive details on the slave markets in Washington, D.C. and New Orleans, and describes at length cotton and sugar cultivation and slave treatment on major plantations in Louisiana.

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Solomon Northup (1808 – c. 1863) was an American abolitionist and the author of one of the most profound narratives in the annals of American literature, 'Twelve Years a Slave', published in 1853. Broadly esteemed for its meticulous detail and its unsparing, firsthand account of the brutality of slavery, Northup's work has been a pivotal text in antebellum literature and African American history. Born a free man in New York State, Northup was the son of a freed slave and a free woman of color. In a harrowing tale of deception and betrayal, he was kidnapped in Washington, D.C. in 1841 and sold into slavery in the Deep South, enduring twelve harrowing years of involuntary servitude before his eventual rescue in 1853. His narrative, penned shortly after regained freedom, is considered an essential, authentic source for understanding the horrors of slavery in the pre-Civil War South. Northup's keen observations and narrative ability provide a powerful lens through which readers can observe the everyday occurrences and systemic injustices of chattel slavery. 'Twelve Years a Slave' remains a seminal work in American history and literature for its detailed, first-hand perspective, meticulous detail, and its literary artistry. Northup's legacy endures through his writings, which continue to educate and influence discussions on race, history, and human rights.