Textbook used by the school district of philadelphia. William still national underground railroad freedom center. His book was exhibited at the philadelphia centennial exposition years later. William still was a prominent abolitionist in philadelphia during americas last decades of slavery. Stills book, the underground railroad 1872, is one of the most important historical records we have. It is heartbreaking to read and uplifting at the same time. The william still story tells compelling and lesser known stories of one of north americas greatest sagas. The underground railroad in the long list of names who have suffered and died in the cause of freedom, not one, perhaps, could be found whose efforts to redeem a poor family of slaves were more christlike than seth concklins, whose noble and daring spirit has been so long completely shrouded in mystery. William still was very instrumental in helping slaves to run on the underground rr. Oct 28, 2019 oscar lescano rated it it was amazing still believed that the book william still october 7, 1821 july 14, 1902 was a prominent abolitionist who coined the term underground railroad and, as one of the chief conductors in pennsylvania helped thousands of people get free and settled away from slavery. William still interviewed all the people he helped to free from slavery via the underground railroad. Stills the underground railroad is the only first person account of black activities on the underground railroad written and selfpublished by an. Paul moravecs sanctuary road illuminates william still. The underground railroad by william still kansas city.
The underground railroad by william still free ebook. William still and the underground railroad townsend. Stills records of those who passed through the philadelphia station are some of the best. How harriet tubman and william still helped the underground railroad. The william 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. Apr 15, 2017 the underground railroad by william still, 97817842879, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. These are the true stories of the underground railroad. 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. Oct 29, 2019 william still was known as the father of the underground railroad, aiding perhaps 800 fugitive slaves on their journeys to freedom and publishing their firstperson accounts of bondage and escape in his 1872 book, the underground railroad records. The underground railroad records is an 1872 book by william still, who is known as the father of the underground railroad.
The underground railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses established in the united states during the early to mid19th century, and used by enslaved africanamericans to escape into free states and canada. The underground railroad by william still, paperback. Having been born in a state which was prominent on the underground railroad, this book brought the sites i had been in even closer to the troubles these slaves suffered. Over 14 years, he helped hundreds of slaves escape to freedom in canada. Journal c of the underground railroad in philadelphia kept by william still. Although still recognized the many contributions of white abolitionists, he portrayed the fugitives as courageous individuals who struggled for their own freedom.
And to this day, his book contains some of the best evidence we have of the. Underground railroad, part 4 by william still free at loyal. The author of this book, william still, was born of slave parents and suffered being taken from his family. William still was known as the father of the underground railroad, aiding perhaps 800 fugitive slaves on their journeys to freedom and publishing their firstperson accounts of bondage and escape in his 1872 book, the underground railroad records. William still october 7, 1821 july 14, 1902 was an africanamerican abolitionist based in philadelphia, pennsylvania. Anyone interested in slaves narratives should read this book. The underground railroad, part 1 by william still 1821 1902 it was my good fortune to lend a helping hand to the weary travelers flying from the. 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 professional, entrepreneurial, social welfare, and legal activities while the mass of american slaves lay in chains in the south.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Still proudly exhibited his book at the philadelphia centennial exposition in 1876. The book was published in 1872 based upon journals still kept while helping fugitive slaves. After the civil war, still published the secret notes hed kept in diaries during those years, and his book is a source of many historical details.
A riveting collection of the hardships, hairbreadth escapes, and mortal struggles of enslaved people seeking freedom. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Aug 19, 2019 william still october 7, 1821july 14, 1902 was a prominent abolitionist who coined the term underground railroad and, as one of the chief conductors in pennsylvania helped thousands of people get free and settled away from slavery. The underground railroad kindle edition by still, william. It was the only firstperson account of activities on the underground railroad that was written and published by an african american. The scheme was assisted by abolitionists and others sympathetic to the cause of the escapees.
As a conductor for the underground railroadthe covert resistance network created to aid and protect slaves seeking freedomwilliam still helped as a riveting collection of the hardships, hairbreadth escapes, and mortal struggles of enslaved people seeking freedom. 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. William still and the underground railroad lesson plan. He kept careful records, including short biographies of the people, that contained frequent railway metaphors. Peter still, william still, and seth concklin t he story of peter still and his connection with underground railroad conductor william still and the valiant slave rescuer, seth concklin, may be the most remarkable tale in all underground railroad lore. He gives comment on alot of slaves that did not become famous but neverthe less escaped. Deceptive cadence when it comes to the underground railroad, everyone knows harriet tubman. Apr 15, 2017 buy the underground railroad by william still isbn. First published in 1872, william stills collection of accounts and letters is a powerful testament to the trials and tribulations of fugitive slaves who used the underground railroad, a secret network that enabled them to escape from bondage.
Throughout his life, still fought not only to abolish slavery, but also to provide africanamericans in northern enclaves. Still was committed to preserving the stories of the bondmen and he kept careful records of the many escaped slaves who passed through the philadelphia station. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1. Write an essay constructed around who william still was, what was the issue at hand with the underground railroad in regards to african freedom, or a letter as if the students were writing to william still as parents of the children who were being held in bondage. 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 professional, entrepreneurial, social welfare, and legal activities while the mass of. Still s mother escaped later with the children, changing the family name to still. He worked at the pennsylvania society for the abolition of slavery, ostensibly as janitor and clerical help, but his actual work was on the underground railroad, helping escaped slaves from the south find their way to freedom in canada. Levin, still s father escaped slavery in maryland for freedom in new jersey.
The date of william stills birth is used by the registry and by most sources, though he gave the date of november 1819 in the 1900 census. He wrote of the stories of the black men and women who successfully escaped to the freedom land. Moses, but not in the sense that andrew johnson was the moses of the colored people, still wrote in his book. In bringing you these stories, librivox volunteers are reading from the 1878 edition. William still, himself a son of slaves, was named its secretary and executive director. William still, sometimes called the father of the underground railroad, helped hundreds of slaves to escape as many as 60 a month, sometimes hiding them in his philadelphia home.
Aug 08, 20 after the civil war, still published the secret notes hed kept in diaries during those years, and his book is a source of many historical details of the workings of the underground railroad. Moses, but not in the sense that andrew johnson was the moses of. He was a black abolitionist, conductor on the underground railroad, writer, historian and activist. William stills book vividly brings to light the hardships and dangers faced by those who escaped slavery via the underground railroad.
All smithsonian museums and smithsonian libraries locations continue to be closed to support the effort to contain the spread of covid19. The underground railroad by william still, 97817842879, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Still s book, the underground railroad 1872, is one of the most important historical records we have. Paul moravecs sanctuary road illuminates william stills underground railroad. This documentary tells the dramatic story of william still, one of the most important yet largely unheralded figures in the history of the underground railroad. He lived as a slave with his parents and seventeen brothers and sisters. William still 18211902, african american abolitionist, philanthropist, and business person, became an important strategist for the underground rail road and wrote an account of the hundreds of slaves he aided in their flight to freedom. The william still story tells the dramatic story of william. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the underground railroad. Get the best deal by comparing prices from over 100,000 booksellers. The advertisement used in this lesson documents the reaction by prominent abolitionists and press. He was a conductor on the underground railroad, businessman, writer, historian and civil rights activist.
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. Peter still, william still, and seth concklin t he story of peter still and his connection with underground railroad conductor william still and the valiant slave rescuer, seth concklin, may be the most remarkable tale in all underground railroad lore peters story begins when he was six years old and living in slavery along the maryland eastern shore. William still william still used books, rare books and new books. The underground railroad part 1 by william still unabridged. We are not announcing a reopening date at this time and will provide updates on a regular and asneeded basis. This was an excellent book that portrayed the stories of escaping slaves on the underground railroad.
This book gave me greater insight into exactly what william still did to help escaped slaves. Deeply moved by the stories of the fugitive slaves he helped conduct northward, still took his. How harriet tubman and william still helped the underground. Sep 20, 20 the underground railroad, part 1 by william still 1821 1902 it was my good fortune to lend a helping hand to the weary travelers flying from the land of bondage. The underground railroad by william still goodreads. Not literally a railroad, the workers both black and. Before picking up this book, i was already well acquainted with the still family especially william, who helped many slaves travel along the underground railroad to freedom, and james, the expert herbalist known as the black doctor of the pines. Schomburg center for research in black culture, manuscripts, archives and rare books division, the new york public library. Apr 27, 2017 this was an excellent book that portrayed the stories of escaping slaves on the underground railroad.
On the one hand, his depictions of slave life are thoroughly grounded in heartbreaking and hardtotake reality. In 1872, william still published the underground railroad records. The underground railroad records random house books. The underground railroad was published in 1871 from stills records and diaries. As a conductor for the underground railroadthe covert resistance network created to aid and protect slaves seeking freedomwilliam still helped as many as. 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. Colson whiteheads riveting runaway slave story is an eyeopening, brutal, and remarkable study of tensions that pull in opposite directions. William still is often called the father of the underground railroad. 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. Buy the underground railroad by william still isbn. William still october 7, 1821july 14, 1902 was a prominent abolitionist who coined the term underground railroad and, as one of the chief conductors in pennsylvania helped thousands of people get free and settled away from slavery. In the long list of names who have suffered and died in the cause of freedom, not one, perhaps, could be found whose efforts to redeem a poor family of slaves were more christlike than seth concklins, whose noble and daring spirit has been so long completely shrouded in mystery.
William still was born in burlington county, new jersey. It is considered the most complete firsthand account ever written of the men, women, and children who rode the legendary railroad to freedom. The william 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 americas. William still, clerk for the philadelphia antislavery society for fourteen years, publishes an account of the underground railroad based on his personal notes. William stills national significance william still. Underground railroad, part 4 by william still free at. As a conductor for the underground railroadthe covert resistance network created to aid and protect slaves seeking freedomwilliam still helped as many as eight hundred people escape enslavement. He also meticulously collected the letters, biographical sketches, arrival memos, and ransom notes of the escapees. Oct 12, 2006 this was an excellent book that portrayed the stories of escaping slaves on the underground railroad. Jul 24, 2019 how harriet tubman and william still helped the underground railroad. When the work of the underground railroad was done at the conclusion of the civil war, mr. The underground railroad by william still, paperback barnes. In the winter of 1852, a group of philadelphia abolitionists dedicated to assisting runaway slaves formed a new assistance group in underground railroadthe general vigilance committee. The stories themselves are written by the escaping slaves, bounty hunters, etc in the form of letters and correspondence.
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