We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness; that, to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it.

The above statement is known as the PREAMBLE of Declaration of Independence

Explanation:

The Declaration of Independence was made on July 4, 1776, when the 13 American colonies decided to break away under British rule.

The Declaration of Independence is divided into three parts which include Preamble, List of Grievances, and Resolution of Independence.

The Preamble, which is sometimes referred to as Introduction, was made to persuade Americans to support the cause of independence even with their lives, if necessary lives, and to unite them towards the accomplishment of better lives and liberation.

the answer is solomon northrup. he was a free-born african american, abolitionist and professional violinist that was drugged, kidnapped and sold as slave in 1841 and remained in captivity until 1853 where he regained his freedom with the of the then-governor of new york, washington hunt. he wrote and published his memoirs "twelve years a slave" in 1853, and in this text, he tells the story of his escape thru one of louisiana's swamps (the great pacoudrie swamp) in which he ended up covered in green slime from crossing the surface of the dead water.