Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup — A Powerful and Essential Read
A short summary:
Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup is the harrowing true story of a free Black man from New York who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841. Enduring twelve long years of brutality, forced labor, and unimaginable suffering in Louisiana’s plantation system, Northup’s account exposes the devastating inhumanity of slavery. His memoir, written after his escape and restoration to freedom, remains one of the most powerful firsthand testimonies of America’s darkest era.
My favorite Solomon Northup quote from the book:
Questions I pondered while reading:
My review of the book:
This is not an easy book to read, nor should it be. Twelve Years a Slave is an unflinching portrayal of cruelty, endurance, and the will to survive when all dignity is stripped away. Solomon Northup’s narrative, told with precision and humanity, serves as both history and warning.
It is a harsh read, but an essential one. Northup forces readers to look directly into the heart of injustice and question how such suffering was ever tolerated. His story demands to be remembered so that the world never again excuses or forgets the horrors that human beings can inflict upon one another.
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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.
In addition to her travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com
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