Solomon Northup a Violinist, married Anne Hampton on Christmas Day in 1828. In January of 1841 he was offered a job as a part-time violinist with a traveling band. This offer turned out to be a trick, where Solomon was sold into slavery.

Solomon tried to escape several times and also send letters home to his wife for help. Solomon remained a slave for eleven years till September of 1852 when Solomon managed to get a letter to his wife, giving her a better clue as to his whereabouts. Anne Northup then petitioned the governor of New York to help her free her husband. In January of 1853, Solomon Northup was set free. Soon after, Solomon wrote his story 'Twelve Years A Slave' and published it. Today, this book has been made into a motion picture available at most video stores.