’12 Years a Slave’ Wins Best Picture at the 86th Academy Awards

Named the Best Picture at last night's 86th Academy Awards, 12 Years A Slave, the true story of Solomon Northup, also took home two more major awards at last night's Oscars: Best Supporting Actress (Lupita Nyong'o) and Best Adapted Screenplay (John Ridley).

Solomon Northup was a free black man in America who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. Director Steve McQueen said that the most important legacy of Solomon was his belief that, "Everyone deserves not to just survive, but to live."

Brad Pitt was one of the films producers and first accepted the award before passing the mic to a tongue-tied and excited McQueen. The director went on to say that this film was for all people who had to endure slavery and the 21 million who still endure it today.