Kidnapping was a lucrative crime in antebellum America, and many American citizens-especially free blacks-were abducted for profit. This book reveals the untold stories of the captured.The story of Solomon Northup, subject of the Academy Award-winning best picture12 Years a Slave, is representative of the deplorable treatment many African Americans experienced in the period leading up to the Civil War. This book examines antebellum kidnapping, delving into why and how it occurred, and illustrating the active role the U.S. government played in allowing it to continue. It presents case studies of dozens of victims' experiences that illustrate a grim and little-remembered chapter in American history. David Fiske'sSolomon Northup's Kindredreveals the abhorrent conditions and greed that resulted in the kidnapping of American citizens. Factors like early fugitive slave laws, the invention of the cotton gin, the 1808 ban on importing slaves into the United States, and the Supreme Court's Dred Scott decision made these crimes highly profitable. Fiske sheds much-needed light on the practice of kidnapping, explaining how it was carried out, identifying conditions that allowed kidnappers to operate, and describing methods for combating the crime. He offers dozens of case studies along with documentation from across historical newspaper reports, anti-slavery literature, local history books, and academic publications to provide an accurate account of kidnapping crimes of the time.
Select a Delivery Option
Solomon Northup's Kindred: The Kidnapping of Free Citizens before the Civil War
You’re item was added to pickup at [location]
You’re [amount] away from FREE shipping!
You qualify for FREE shipping!
Translation missing: en.settings.free_shipping_default_message
Solomon Northup's Kindred: The Kidnapping of Free Citizens before the Civil War
David Fiske, MLS, is a librarian and researcher with extensive experience in African American history.
You May Also Like
Previous
Next
Recently Viewed
Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
Opens in a new window.
eBooks from Indigo are available at Kobo.com
Simply sign in or create your free Kobo account to get started. Read eBooks on any Kobo eReader or with the free Kobo App.
Why Kobo?
With over 6 million of the world's best eBooks to choose from, Kobo offers you a whole world of reading. Go shelf-less with your library and enjoy reward points with every purchase.