description Twelve Years a Slave Overview
Twelve Years a Slave is an 1853 memoir by Solomon Northup, a free Black man from New York who was kidnapped in Washington, D.C., in 1841 and sold into slavery. Northup recounts twelve years of forced labor on Louisiana plantations, identifies people and locations connected to his captivity, and describes his eventual restoration to freedom. The book supplied the basis for Steve McQueen's 2013 film adaptation.
insights Ranking position
Twelve Years a Slave ranks #5 of 124 in the Autobiography ranking, behind Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, ahead of Educated.
help Twelve Years a Slave FAQ
How did Solomon Northup become enslaved despite being born free?
Northup writes that two men recruited him for musical work in 1841, then drugged or incapacitated him in Washington and sold him under the name Platt. He was subsequently transported to Louisiana and held in slavery for twelve years.
How was Northup finally rescued?
Canadian carpenter Samuel Bass helped Northup send letters to contacts in New York. Henry B. Northup then traveled to Louisiana with legal documentation and secured his release in January 1853.
Is the 2013 film faithful to Northup's memoir?
Steve McQueen's film follows the memoir's central people and events, with Chiwetel Ejiofor as Northup, Michael Fassbender as Edwin Epps, and Lupita Nyong'o as Patsey. It compresses and dramatizes parts of the narrative but preserves the book's basic chronology and account of enslavement.
Who helped Solomon Northup write Twelve Years a Slave?
Northup worked with New York writer and lawyer David Wilson, who served as the book's editor or amanuensis. The memoir was published in 1853, the same year Northup regained his freedom.
explore Explore More
Similar to Twelve Years a Slave
See all arrow_forward
Reviews & Comments
Write a Review
Be the first to review
Share your thoughts with the community and help others make better decisions.
