Twelve Years a Slave
Quick Summary
Twelve Years a Slave is the title of a memoir written by Solomon Northup, an American farmer and musician. Born free in New York, Northup was kidnapped in Washington, D.C., in 1841 and sold into slavery in Louisiana. He endured 12 years of brutal enslavement on plantations, experiencing different owners, including the kind William Prince Ford and the cruel Edwin Epps.123
Northup's narrative details the harsh realities of slave life, the dehumanizing effects of bondage, and his eventual rescue in 1853 through the efforts of friends and family in New York. The book became a bestseller and remains a significant work in American slave narratives, offering valuable insights into the daily lives of enslaved people. The memoir was also adapted into an award-winning film in 2013.123
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
