Solomon Northup's Kindred: The Kidnapping of Free Citizens before the Civil War

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.


• Features portraits, sketches, and images of documents and newspaper articles related to kidnapping

• Identifies the numerous factors that led to the lucrative business of kidnapping

• Describes the physical and psychological subduing of victims

• Includes the perspectives of those who tried to help: educators, crusaders, rescuers, and cooperative slave owners