12 Years a Slave, and the Continuing Story

This past weekend, I saw the newly released film 12 Years a Slave. It tells the story of Solomon Northup, and African American man born free but tricked and trafficked into slavery in the South. The film is based on his own brave account of his journey from freedom to slavery to freedom again. And it’s hard to watch: the movie is graphic and doesn’t shy away from the great ugliness and darkness that is slavery. Most of the time, you’re holding your breath—unable to hope for a good outcome even though you know how the story ends.