12 Years a Slave

The winner of 3 Oscars, 2 BAFTAs, a Golden Globe, and many other accolades, 12 Years a Slave tells the story of Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, who is abducted and sold into slavery in Louisiana. Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dwight Henry, and Louisiana native Quvenzhané Wallis, the movie was filmed in New Orleans and at a number of historic homes in the southeastern part of the state. While some the locations might be recognizable – Magnolia Lane, Bocage, and St. Joseph – the best place to learn more about Solomon Northup today is along the Northup Trail, Louisiana Byway. Looping south from Alexandria/Pineville through Bunkie and Cottonport, and back north to Marksville, see the places where Solomon spent his time in slavery – the restored house of Edwin Epps now located on the campus of LSU-Alexandria – to the site where he gained his freedom in 1853 – the Avoyelles Parish Courthouse in Marksville. Follow the Solomon Northup Trail HERE!