Twelve Years a Slave, a movie must see

 Twelve Years a Slave:
Narrative of Solomon Northup, a Citizen of New-York,
Kidnapped in Washington City in 1841, and Rescued in 1853:

I had a very hard time finding a showing that was not sold out, (the movie has been a huge success at the box office, earning $128 million) but finally on Saturday, I was able to see 12 Years a Slave. We watched the movie at The Landmark Theater in San Francisco, it was a small and intimate theater which holds only 38 people (what a movie going experience this theater is as well -  beautiful leather seats that recline and at any moment I thought a waitress was going to come to my seat ans ask me for my drink order). And...What an amazing movie!! I saw it just in time for it to win best picture of the year on the 86th Annual Academy Awards. It also received the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture.

This was such a moving story that after seeing it I wanted to know more about the real Solomon Northrop.

The Original Book Cover

 I can speak of Slavery only so far as it came under my own observation—only so far as I have known and experienced it in my own person. My object is, to give a candid and truthful statement of facts: to repeat the story of my life, without exaggeration, leaving it for others to determine, whether even the pages of fiction present a picture of more cruel wrong or a severer bondage.

        As far back as I have been able to ascertain, my ancestors on the paternal side were slaves in Rhode Island. They belonged to a family by the name of Northup, one of whom, removing to the State of New York, settled at Hoosic, in Rensselaer county. He brought with him Mintus Northup, my father. On the death of this gentleman, which must have occurred some fifty years ago, my father became free, having been emancipated by a direction in his will.

        Henry B. Northup, Esq., of Sandy Hill, a distinguished counselor at law, and the man to whom, under Providence, I am indebted for my present liberty, and my return to the society of my wife and children, is a relative of the family in which my forefathers were thus held to service, and from which they took the name I bear. To this fact may be attributed the persevering interest he has taken in my behalf.

Source and for more on the orignal story click here

I was sorry to see that Chiwetel Ejiofor did not win an award as he did an outstanding job but Congrats to the other winners and a big shout out to
Lupita Nyong'o who delivered a humble and graceful acceptance speech.