Still s the underground railroad is the only first person account of black activities on the underground railroad written and selfpublished by an. In documenting their experiences firsthand, still preserved the single most authentic and important record of one of americas darkest chapters, while at the same time providing abundant evidence that the human. William still s most popular book is the underground railroad. Get the best deal by comparing prices from over 100,000 booksellers.
Subject abolitionists united states biography antislavery movements uni. The underground rail road by william still smithsonian libraries. As chairman of the vigilance committee of the pennsylvania antislavery society, he directly aided fugitives and kept records of their lives, to help families reunite after the maafa slavery was abolished. Together with sketches of some of the largest stockholders, and most liberal aiders and advisers, of the road. Books by william still author of the underground railroad. Nov 01, 2020 from ezra jack keats awardwinning authorillustrator don tate comes the highly anticipated and remarkable, littleknown story of william still, known as the father of the underground railroad. Leading african american abolitionist william still remains the 19thcenturys foremost chronicler of the underground railroad. A record of jacts, authentic jiarratives, jetters, william still.
The advertisement used in this lesson documents the reaction by prominent abolitionists and press. Lesson plansresources william still classroom resources a man of god lesson plan biography of william still, father of the. The underground railroad kindle edition by still, william. The pastor by definition is a shepherd, the undershepherd of the flock of god. William still s parents escaped slavery but had to leave two of their children behind, a. Based in philadelphia, still built a reputation as a courageous leader, writer, philanthropist. The life, struggles, and success of peter and his family were ably brought. William still was an africanamerican abolitionist based in philadelphia, pennsylvania. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the underground railroad. His book was exhibited at the philadelphia centennial exposition years later. William still s chance encounter with his longlost brother changed the course of his life and those of many other african americans striving for freedom. The william still story is the story of a humble philadelphia clerk who risked his life shepherding runaway slaves to freedom in the. Iso88591 start of this project gutenberg ebook the underground railroad produced by amy overmyer and the pg online distributed proofreading team. Buy the underground railroad by william still online at alibris.
The committee provided money to board fugitives with families of free negroes. In william stills book the underground railroad, the author expands on the story of peter still, a former slave, and seth concklin, a white abolitionist. The book was published in 1872 based upon journals still kept while helping fugitive slaves. The book was published in 1872 based upon journals still. This wonderful novel tell slaverys story from the perspective of one fugitive slave. The williams still story is the story of a humble philadelphia clerk who risked his life shepherding runaway slaves to freedom in the. Smart book report midterm report underground railroad dramatic firsthand accounts 1. The narratives were painstakingly documented by william still 18211902, a son of emancipated slaves who helped guide untold numbers of fugitives to safety as an underground railroad conductor based in philadelphia. The dynasty these hardworking former slaves began in 1807 produced a bevy of freeborn children, who were the ancestors of our central character, william still. Jacob blockson was a stout and healthylooking man, about twentyseven years old, with a countenance indicative of having no sympathy for slavery. Brings deserved attention to the life of a man who dedicated. Illustrated with 70 fine engravings by bensell, schell and others, and portraits from photographs from life. Dec 21, 2020 william still october 7, 1821july 14, 1902 was a prominent abolitionist and civil rights activist who coined the term underground railroad and, as one of the chief conductors in pennsylvania, helped thousands of people achieve freedom and get settled away from enslavement. The project gutenberg ebook of the underground railroad, by william still this ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever.
The underground railroad full audiobook greatest audio books by william still abolitionism in 1844, william still moved to philadelphia, pennsylvan. William still the underground railroad and the angel at philadelphia by william c. The underground railroad and the angel at philadelphia is the first major biography of the free black abolitionist william still, who coordinated the. Underground rail road first edition william still bauman. Jacob blockson was a stout and healthylooking man, about twentyseven years old, with a. Numerous fugitives stories are documented in the 1872 book the underground railroad records by william still, an abolitionist who then headed the philadelphia vigilance committee. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. William still has 39 books on goodreads with 7527 ratings. The importance of the pastor depends on the value of the sheep. Narrating the hardships, hairbreadth escapes, and death struggles of slaves in their efforts for freedom. His primary task is to feed the flock by leading them to green pastures. William still and the underground railroad bibliography blight, david w.
The underground railroad by william still free ebook. As a conductor for the underground railroad the covert resistance network created to aid and protect slaves seeking freedom william still helped as many as eight hundred people escape enslavement. This narrative appears in stills underground railroad records ii. When the work of the underground railroad was done at the conclusion of the civil war, mr.
The underground railroad and the angel at philadelphia university of notre dame press, 2021, william c. Mar 26, 2021 william still is best known for his selfpublished book the underground railroad 1872 where he documented the stories of formerly enslaved africans who gained their freedom by escaping bondage. Kashatus provides his readers with both an account of still s life and a comprehensive database compiled from the many interviews his subject conducted with the runaway slaves he assisted. Her childhood, her missing mother, her fear and anger at her slave owner. The william still story tells the dramatic story of william still, one of the most important yet largely unheralded individuals of the underground railroad.
William still s volume remains one of the most important texts to date as it relates to the study of black history and the underground railroad. The williams still story is the story of a humble philadelphia clerk who risked his life shepherding runaway slaves to freedom in the tumultuous years leading up to america s. The underground railroad records is an 1872 book by william still, who is known as the father of the underground railroad. One of the greatest documents of the underground railroad iii. Oct 29, 2019 in 1872, william still published the underground railroad records. The underground railroad and the angel at philadelphia is the first major biography of the free black abolitionist william still, who coordinated the eastern line of the underground railroad and was a pillar of the railroad as a whole. The discovery of william still s book began my interest in the history of the underground railroad which led me to write about it. Estimates vary widely, but at least 30,000 slaves, and potentially more than 100,000, escaped to canada via the underground railroad.
The william still story premiered february 6, 2012. From ezra jack keats awardwinning authorillustrator don tate comes a remarkable picture book biography of william still, known as father of the underground railroad. His book includes his impressions of station masters such as thomas garrett, daniel gibbons and abigail goodwin. William still was an africanamerican abolitionist, conductor on the underground railroad, writer, historian and civil rights activist. William still s book vividly brings to light the hardships and dangers faced by those who escaped slavery via the underground railroad. The underground railroad by william still, paperback barnes. William still and his freedom stories the father of the underground railroad.
The underground railroad records is an archive of primary documents that trace the narrative arc of the greatest, most successful campaign of civil disobedience. He was a prominent figure in the underground railroad as head of the philadelphia vigilance committee, which coordinated a lot of the ugrrs efforts on the east coast. When the civil war ended and slavery was abolished, william still published his journals as the underground railroad. Although it was william who ran station two, the hub of the american underground railroad in philadelphia, beginning in the 1840s, his siblings accomplished a staggering list of. William still william still and the underground railroad. Black history series a lesson about the father of the. William still and thk underground railroad 35 william still taken from iiis book, this picture probably shozes still as he looked in i8j2. From the first man, whom he didnt even know the name of, to the last, still was a dedicated helper who. Included in the 1886 edition of the underground railroad. One of the principal activities of the new philadelphia vigilance committee was to extend financial aid to fugitives.
It is considered the most complete firsthand account ever written of the men, women, and children who rode the legendary railroad to freedom. The history of the underground railroad is an epic of high drama one of the most ambitious political undertakings in american history bordewich, bound for canan, 4. The underground railroad by william still kansas city. Reflections on the underground railroad william still. While doing his work for the underground railroad, william still ended up meeting and helping one of his brothers who had remained enslaved when his mother escaped with his sisters. He also meticulously collected the letters, biographical sketches, arrival memos, and ransom notes of the escapees. William still was an active agent on the underground railroad and run a safe house in philadelphia. He was a conductor on the underground railroad, businessman, writer, historian and civil rights activist. The underground railroad by william still, paperback. In 1872, still published an account of the underground railroad, the underground railroad records, based on the carefully recorded secret notes he had kept in diaries during those years. He entitled the book the underground railroad records 1872.
And to this day, his book contains some of the best evidence we have of the workings of the underground railroad, detailing the freedom seekers who used it, including where they came from, how they escaped and the families they left behind. From ezra jack keats awardwinning authorillustrator don tate comes the highly anticipated and remarkable, littleknown story of william still, known as the father of the underground railroad. Still s meticulous entries offer unique insight into the secretive network known as the underground railroad. William still quotes author of the underground railroad. He also has to care for them when they are sick or hurt, and seek them when they go astray. Nov 29, 2020 still published his book the underground railroad in 1872, detailing the experiences he witnessed while serving as a conductor of the underground railroad. This mans memoir became the most important documentary. Classic reprint of the original 1872 historical text written by the father of the underground railroad, an american abolitionist and successful philadelphia businessman who was born a free man, still helped hundreds of slaves to escape to freedom as many as 60 slaves a month in the years before the civil war ended slavery. From the first man, whom he didnt even know the name of, to the last, still was a dedicated helper who was always available for the runaways to rely on. Sep 10, 20 william still, philadelphian and son of a formerly enslaved woman who had escaped to freedom before his birth, was a prominent conductor on the underground railroad.
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