12 Years a Slave

First published in 1853, "12 Years a Slave" is the true account of Solomon Northup, a free Black man born in New York who was kidnapped and sold into slavery, spending twelve years in bondage in Louisiana before finally regaining his freedom.

Northup's narrative documents the brutal realities of slave markets and plantation life in unflinching detail, while also chronicling his resourcefulness, endurance, and unwavering determination to be reunited with his wife and children.

This edition presents the memoir for contemporary readers, with supplementary material beyond the original 1853 text.