William Still and His Freedom Stories
The Father of the Underground Railroad
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From award-winning author-illustrator Don Tate comes a remarkable picture book biography of William Still, known as Father of the Underground Railroad. 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. 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 Still 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. Award-winning author-illustrator Don Tate brings to life the incredible, true story of William Still, a man who dedicated his life to recording the stories of enslaved people fleeing to freedom. Tate's powerful words and artwork are sure to inspire young readers in this first-ever picture book biography of the Father of the Underground Railroad.
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Don Tate tells the little-known story of William Still, who chronicled the lives of those who traveled the Underground Railroad, with words and pictures. Still worked with people escaping from slavery. In the course of doing his work, he serendipitously ran across his own brother who he had never met. He resolved to take notes on those he encountered who were fleeing slavery so he could help reunite families. Later the Fugitive Slave Act made this record dangerous, and Still was forced to hide the books and papers in a cemetery.
Tate was inspired to tell Still's story when he read about his life in The Biographical Dictionary of Black Americans, a book his mother sent him. I hope he will go on to research more of these lives and write more books for young readers.
