Solomon Northup

Hope Out of Darkness -- Commemorating "12 Years a Slave"

Larry Jorgensen

• Publisher: Modern History Press
• Year: 2026
• Topic: Social Sciences
• eBook ISBN:
  9798896561019
• Subtopic: Slavery
• Index: Social Sciences

Solomon Northup's story did not end with freedom. It continues in memory, movement, and meaning.

Hope Out of Darkness chronicles the remarkable journey of a monumental bronze statue created to honor Solomon Northup--the free Black man kidnapped into slavery whose memoir, Twelve Years a Slave, awakened a nation. More than a sculpture, the statue became a living witness, traveling hundreds of miles to the very places that shaped Northup's life, suffering, and resolve.


Through richly detailed narrative and on-the-ground reporting, this book follows the statue's national exhibition-from its unveiling to its final resting place-revealing how communities, descendants, historians, and artists came together to reclaim a powerful American story. Along the way, readers encounter the people and places that form the Northup Trail, connecting past injustice to present-day reflection and education.


Both a historical record and a tribute, Hope Out of Darkness reminds us that history is not static. It moves when we choose to remember. It speaks when we choose to listen. And it endures when we choose to honor the truth. This is not only the story of a statue... it is the story of how a nation continues the work of remembrance.


"This enduring monument exists from the activism and advocacy of a small group of people, and only together can we repair the cracks in the foundation of our collective inherited national histories. Let Solomon Northup's message of tribulation and perseverance connect our past to our future, and resonate through the centuries to invigorate new generations to strive for restorative justice and unity."
-- Wesley Wofford, Fellow of the National Sculpture Society


"The power of remembering one-time slave Solomon Northrup with a statue cannot be underestimated for keeping his story front and center for future generations. Larry Jorgensen has beautifully captured Northrup and his statue's history in this book." — Tyler R. Tichelaar, PhD and award-winning author of Kawbawgam: The Chief, The Legend, The Man


From Modern History Press

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Introduction
• The Unveiling
• The Alexandria Exhibit
• Haverstraw
• Saratoga Springs
• Boston
• Statue Returns to Louisiana
• The Northup Trail
• Explore the Northup Trail
• About the Author