Twelve Years a Slave

Article written by Emma Baldwin

B.A. in English, B.F.A. in Fine Art, and B.A. in Art Histories from East Carolina University.

Written in 1853, this important memoir by Solomon Northup details the author’s life as a Black man in the United States. 

The book chronicles his horrifying experience of being kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Southern United States, where he endured twelve years of unimaginable hardship and cruelty.

The story begins in Saratoga Springs, New York, where Solomon Northup, a talented musician and skilled carpenter, lived a prosperous and happy life with his wife and children. In 1841, he was deceived by two men who offered him a lucrative job opportunity as a violinist in a circus.

Key Facts about Twelve Years a Slave

• Book Title: Twelve Years a Slave
• Author: Solomon Northup.
• Book Inspiration: The inspiration for the book came from Northup’s own experiences after being kidnapped into slavery.
• Publication Date: 1853
• Point of View: First-person.
• Number of Pages: 248
• Genre: Biography.
• Setting: New York and the Southern United States.
• Climax: When Northup is betrayed by Armsby.
• Protagonists: Solomon Northup, Northup’s family, Patsey, William Ford.
• Antagonists: The kidnappers, Tibeats, Mistress Epps, James H. Burch.

Twelve Years a Slave and Solomon Northup

Solomon Northup is an integral part of ‘Twelve Years a Slave.’ He is both the author and the main character of the novel. In the book, he details being stripped of his identity and freedom; Northup found himself in the hands of several slave owners over the course of twelve long years.

During this period, he endured physical and emotional abuse, witnessing the suffering of fellow slaves and enduring the constant fear of being caught attempting to escape.

In 1853, after twelve years of enslavement, a chance encounter with a Canadian abolitionist named Samuel Bass led to Northup’s rescue. Bass helped him get in touch with his family and eventually secured his release from bondage. His case brought significant attention to the horrors of slavery and the plight of free black individuals who were at risk of being kidnapped and enslaved.

Published in 1853, ‘Twelve Years a Slave’ soon became an essential piece of literature during the abolitionist movement in the United States. Later, the novel gained widespread popularity after it was adapted into a feature film.

Northup’s harrowing account provided firsthand insight into the brutality and inhumanity of slavery, further galvanizing the anti-slavery cause. The book served, and still serves today, as a powerful tool in raising awareness about the suffering endured by enslaved individuals.

Books Related to Twelve Years a Slave

There are several highly important books out there that, if you enjoyed ‘Twelve Years a Slave,’ you’d also enjoy reading.

• ‘Beloved’ by Toni Morrison, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel published in 1987. It is a haunting and powerful exploration of the psychological trauma of slavery.
• ‘Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl‘ by Harriet Ann Jacobs – is an autobiographical book that tells the story of Jacobs’ life as an enslaved woman in the South.
• ‘The Underground Railroad’ by Colson Whitehead – This novel reimagines the historical Underground Railroad as an actual, physical railway system that slaves used to escape to freedom.
• ‘Cane River’ by Lalita Tademy – this is a historical fiction novel that was published in 2001. It traces the lives of four generations of African-American women from slavery to the post-Civil War era.
• ‘The Known World’ by Edward P. Jones – takes place in antebellum Virginia and follows the complex relationships between enslaved people and their owners.

Lasting Impact of Twelve Years a Slave