Who was Solomon Northup?

Solomon Northup was a free Black man living in New York State who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Louisiana in 1841. He spent the next 12 years as a slave.

What is Solomon Northup famous for?

Solomon Northup is famous for his memoir "Twelve Years a Slave," recounting his kidnapping and the twelve years he spent as a slave, which was made into a movie in 2013.

How was Solomon Northup freed from slavery?

Solomon Northup was freed from slavery through the intercession of the Canadian abolitionist Samuel Bass, who contacted Northup's family in New York and began the process to free him.

How did Solomon Northup die?

Solomon Northup's date and cause of death are unknown. He disappears from the historical record after 1857 except for an alleged visit to a friend in 1863. He is thought to have died of natural causes circa 1864.

Solomon Northup Timeline

Definition

Solomon Northup (circa 1807/1808 to circa 1857/1864) was a free-born African American living in New York State when he was kidnapped in 1841 and sold into slavery. Northup was held in bondage for 12 years before he was freed through the efforts of friends and family in New York and documented his experience in his memoir Twelve Years a Slave (1853).

More about: Solomon Northup

Timeline

c. 1807 - c. 1864
Life of Solomon Northup, former slave, author, and abolitionist.
1841
Solomon Northup is kidnapped in Washington, D.C., an sold into slavery for 12 years.
1853 - 1857
Solomon Northup is a popular speaker on the abolitionist circuit in the Northeastern United States.
1853
Solomon Northup is set free through the efforts of his friends and family.
1853
Solomon Northup writes and publishes his memoir "Twelve Years a Slave," which becomes a bestseller.
c. 1864
Probable death of Solomon Northup from natural causes.

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