Solomon Northup was an African American man born in 1808 in New York. He was a free man and a skilled carpenter and musician. In 1841, he was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the South, where he endured twelve years of forced labor on various plantations. Northup's experiences were documented in his autobiography, titled Twelve Years a Slave, published in 1853. His story highlighted the brutal realities of slavery and contributed to the abolitionist movement. In 1853, he was finally rescued and returned to his family, becoming an important figure in the fight against slavery.