Twelve Years a Slave

Description

In particular interest to this anthology, Northup describes the food and diet allotted to slaves at that time, as well as the back breaking labor that was necessary on the plantations to grow their crops of sweet potatoes and corn. He notes the method of killing and preserving pigs, of cattle wandering through the swamps, and the vegetables that were reserved for the master's household. Northup also found himself working in a sugarcane field at one point, and he describes the constant toil involved in the production. His story offers the reader a glimpse into the real world of slavery and how food was produced. (Source: Google Books API)