From Life to Film: Solomon Northup’s Twelve Years a Slave

If you watched the Oscars last night, you are aware that Twelve Years a Slave won Best Picture. I have used Solomon Northup’s narrative in my first-year U.S. survey courses on a couple of occasions, but the availability of the movie will probably force me to retire it as an option.

Still, it’s an engrossing story, and I encourage you to read it. I also suggest reading about how Northup’s narrative was rediscovered and brought into the academic mainstream. You also might be interested in learning more about his descendants here and here.