Solomon Northup

Solomon Northup was born free in Minerva, New York, in 1808. A skilled violinist and farmer, he was lured to Washington, D.C., in 1841 with a promise of work, then drugged and sold into slavery in Louisiana. For twelve years he endured brutal conditions on plantations before securing his freedom with the help of a sympathetic white carpenter and New York state officials. His 1853 memoir, "Twelve Years a Slave," co-written with editor David Wilson, became a bestseller and a powerful antislavery document. The book offers detailed, unflinching observations of plantation life, slave auctions, and the legal system that upheld bondage. Northup's work remains a crucial primary source for understanding American slavery, and its 2013 film adaptation brought renewed attention to his story. His death date and circumstances are unknown, as he vanished from historical records after 1857.