Solomon Northup's story (12 Years a Slave) is largely unknown in his New York hometown

[theHandpuppet]

Very interesting, enlightening and at the same time, frustrating account of Northup's legacy in his hometown of Saratoga Springs, NY.

Solomon Northup's story is largely unknown in his New York hometown
A Saratoga Springs museum features no exhibit on Solomon Northup, nor is his memoir, '12 Years a Slave,' taught in local schools. And an annual commemoration has been the focus of a partisan dispute.
By Steven Zeitchik
January 24, 2014, 11:00 a.m.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — In the film "12 Years a Slave," free black man Solomon Northup dreams of one thing during his long captivity in the antebellum South: returning to his family and home in Saratoga Springs.

In the film, as Northup, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, undergoes grueling labor and horrific punishment on a series of Southern plantations, Saratoga Springs becomes a promised land, its name uttered with a sense of longing and hope.

Yet mention Northup's name to many locals in modern-day Saratoga Springs or ask about the memoir or movie that tells his story and they'll raise an eyebrow, largely unaware of the man and his legacy.

"I've never met him. But I think my daughter has," said Linda Gibeault, 63, a manager at a downtown motel. When told who Northup was, she said, "That's fascinating. I've never heard of him, and I've been here 34 years. But people don't like to talk about things like that here. Especially Republicans. And I'm a Republican."... MORE

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-northup-saratoga-12-years-slave-20140126,0,7428949.story#ixzz2rLvtpPL1

[RainDog]

1. k&r n/t

[mnhtnbb]

2. Shouting into the wind

hmmm....I know that feeling.

[frazzled]

3. And what's funny is ...

Last edited Fri Jan 24, 2014, 07:59 PM - Edit history (1)

That almost no one would know about him if it weren't for a black British artist (yes, he was best known as a video installation artist until his recent foray into feature films; see bio at http://www.mariangoodman.com/artists/steve-mcqueen/) hadn't brought it up.

EDITED for embarrassing spelling mistake!

[theHandpuppet]

4. Embarrassing, isn't it?

And even now there are folks in Saratoga Springs who don't know or do know and don't want to talk about it.

[Johonny]

5. Most don't even know the potato chip was invented there

As a former resident I could care less and I imagine most feel the same way. I've driven by the Abner Doubleday sign about million times and never stopped to read it. Saratoga Springs area is a fountain head for all kinds of obscure history that people demand residence care about. And I was taught about slavery in the public school system while it might have been neat to read a book from a former city resident we mostly read standard core material that the rest of the state read. If I had to read everything from someone born in Saratoga and based on Saratoga as a student I'd never have finished High School because there is so much stuff.

[KamaAina]

6. Also by a person of color

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato_chip#History

Popular versions say this happened on August 24, 1853, and versions by the late 19th century attributed the dish to George Crum, a half black, half Native American cook at Moon's Lake House, who was trying to please an unhappy customer. He sliced the potatoes very thin, fried them until crisp and seasoned them with extra salt. The customer loved them

[theHandpuppet]

7. You learn something new every day

And I just did. Thanks!

[Johonny]

8. came up in Trivia Pursuit

Obscure Saratoga history FTW. Saratoga Springs is a weird city filled with obscure history that really is under appreciated in that article. I'm just happy they have put a lot of money back in the town and finally have all the old springs working again and cleaned up the state park and bath houses.

[Number23]

9. Shameful and sickening. But by no means suprising

Hell, they even had to beg to let the "slave" star of "12 Years a Slave" show up on the damn posters. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/23/italian-12-years-a-slave-poster_n_4493661.html

"Maybe the movie will make things better, maybe [Mayor] Joanne [Yepsen] will make things better," Moore said. "But people here don't really seem to care. Talking about Solomon Northup, you can feel like you're shouting into the wind."

Sigh...