New, Full Biography of Solomon Northup Released

Online, September 2, 2013 (Newswire.com) - This biography, Solomon Northup: The Complete Story of the Author of Twelve Years A Slave is authored by David Fiske, Clifford W. Brown, and Rachel Seligman. It provides a compelling chronological narrative of Northup's entire life, from his birth in an isolated settlement in upstate New York to the activities he pursued after his release from slavery. This comprehensive work picks up where annotated editions of Northup's narrative leave off, presenting fascinating, previously unknown information about the author of the autobiographical Twelve Years A Slave. (Northup's autobiography is the basis of the coming film, 12 Years A Slave, a production backed by Brad Pitt. This film, directed by Steve McQueen, received much praise at the Telluride film festival.)

This book examines Northup's life as a slave and reveals details of his life after he regained his freedom, relating how he traveled around the Northeast giving public lectures, worked with an Underground Railroad agent in Vermont to help fugitive slaves reach freedom in Canada, and was connected with several theatrical productions based upon his experiences. The tale of Northup's life demonstrates how the victims of the American system of slavery were not just the slaves themselves, but any free person of color--all of whom were potential kidnap victims, and whose lives were affected by that constant threat.

Solomon Northup: The Complete Story of the Author of Twelve Years A Slave is being published by Praeger/ABC-CLIO. It can be purchased directly from the publisher, as well as from many online booksellers. For availability, see solomonnorthup.com