Northup, a black man who was born free in New York details his kidnapping in Washington D. C. and subsequent sale into slavery. After having been kept in bondage for 12 years in Lousianaby various masters, Northup was able to write to friends and family in New York, who were able to secure his release. Northup's account provides extensive details on the slave markets in Washington, D.C. and New Orleans as well as describing at length cotton and sugar cultivation on major plantations in Louisiana.
