Uncle Tom's Cabin is a novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe, first published in 1852. It tells the story of Uncle Tom, a black slave, and his struggles with slavery. The novel was a bestseller and had a major impact on public opinion in the United States, leading to the abolition of slavery. The term 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' has become a cultural reference for any situation in which a person is treated unfairly or unjustly.