Twelve Years a Slave

 

Twelve Years a Slave

By Solomon Northup

Leading to the award-winning film of the same name, Solomon Northup's memoir is chilling to read. Northup was born a free man in New York, but was drugged and kidnapped in the nation's capital, sold into slavery on a cotton plantation in Louisiana for 12 years. Once free, he attempted a lawsuit against the slave traders in Washington, but was unable to provide his own testimony as a black man during the time. The book details a time that would catapult him into activism for the rest of his life, giving lectures in favor of abolition and aiding in the Underground Railroad.

About

12 Years a Slave is a 2013 biographical period drama film directed by Steve McQueen and based on the 1853 slave diary Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup, a New York State-born African American man who was kidnapped in Washington, D.C., by two fraudsters in 1841 and sold as slaves. Northup was hired to work on farms in Louisiana for 12 years before being released. The first scholarly edition of Northup's memoirs, co-edited in 1968 by Sue Eiken and Joseph Logsdon, carefully recalculated, validated, and concluded that it was accurate. Other characters in the movie were also real people, including Edwin, Mary Epps, and Patsy.

The film was directed by Steve McQueen, and the screenplay was written by John Ridley. Chiwetel Ejiofor starring Solomon Northup. Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Lupita Nyong'o, Sarah Paulson, Brad Pitt, and Alfre Woodard have supporting roles. Principal photography took place in New Orleans, Louisiana, from June 27 to August 13, 2012. The locations used were four historic antebellum plantations: Felicity, Bocage, Destrehan, and Magnolia. Of the four, Magnolia is closest to the actual farm on which Northup was set up.

12 Years a Slave received widespread critical acclaim and was named Best Film of 2013 by several media and critics, grossing over $187 million on a production budget of $22 million. The film received nine Academy Award nominations, winning three: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress for Nyong'o. The Best Picture win made McQueen the first black British producer to receive the award and the first black British director for Best Picture. The film won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama and was recognized by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts as Best Film and Best Actor for Ejiofor. 12 Years a Slave has subsequently named the 44th best film since 2000 in a BBC poll of 177 critics.

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