"Solomon Northup's life and memoir are amongst the most important documentary evidence in the history of slavery in the United States. History has treated Northup unfairly, much as he was treated in life. He was born a free African American citizen of New York State but kidnapped in 1841 and transported south where he disappeared into enslavement in Louisiana. After regaining freedom in 1853, Northup campaigned against slavery and was a conductor on the Underground Railroad, only to disappear from the historical record during the Civil War. Northup's memoir and life were rediscovered in the 1960s but have been neglected by historians and teachers for decades, only to be rediscovered again and retold in this excellent account."