The remarkable, little-known story of William Still, known as the Father of the Underground Railroad from award-winning author-illustrator Don Tate.
William Still's parents escaped slavery but had to leave two of their children behind, a tragedy that haunted the family. As a young man, William went to work for the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, where he raised money, planned rescues, and helped freedom seekers who had traveled north. And then one day, a strangely familiar man came into William's office, searching for information about his long-lost family. Could it be?
Motivated by his own family’s experience, William began collecting the stories of thousands of other freedom seekers. As a result, he was able to reunite other families and build a remarkable source of information, including encounters with Harriet Tubman, Henry "Box" Brown, and William and Ellen Craft.
Don Tate brings to life the incredible true story of William Still’s life and work as a record keeper of enslaved people who had fled to freedom. Tate’s powerful words and artwork are sure to inspire readers in this first-ever picture book biography of the Father of the Underground Railroad.Time line. Author’s note. Bibliography. Full-color illustrations rendered digitally.
Format
Page Count
Trim Size
Dewey
AR
Lexile
Genre
Scholastic Reading Counts
JLG Release
Book Genres
Topics
Standard MARC Records
Cover Art
Tate introduces readers to the African American abolitionist known as the Father of the Underground Railroad in this thorough and informative picture-book biography. Before William Still was born, his father had bought his freedom and settled in New Jersey, his mother escaping later, leaving behind two other children. The family grew to fifteen children including William, the last born in 1821. At eight years old, because of his acumen in navigating the woods, neighbors called on William to lead a fugitive slave to safety. The incident portended his longtime commitment to aiding freedom seekers: “The experience defined the rest of his life.” At age twenty-three, Still moved to Philadelphia, where he worked for the Anti-Slavery Society and turned his home into a station on the Underground Railroad. When he encountered his long-lost brother seeking refuge, he was inspired to create records of other freedom seekers and to collect stories of their escapes, hoping to help reunite families; a collection of these important documents and narratives was published in 1872. Tate’s writing style is generally engaging and accessible. Rich acrylic illustrations are perfectly matched with a poetic narrative that celebrates the subject and conveys the realities of the times. Back matter includes a timeline, an author’s note, and a bibliography. PAULETTA BROWN BRACY