William Still and His Freedom Stories

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Synopsis:

“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, stranger-than-fiction 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.”

Review:

William Still was not a name I knew before reading this book. But, the subtitle grabbed my attention – The Father of the Underground Railroad. The only person I was really familiar with by name in regards to the Underground Railroad was Harriet Tubman. William Still has just as an incredible story and yet few people know him by name. Don Tate changed that by creating this beautifully illustrated picture book biography.

William’s family dynamic growing up led him to his life’s work of recording stories of fleeing slaves in the hopes of helping find families. Can you imagine trying to find your family who escaped from the South, possibly changed their name, and could be living in any number of locations? And this was before the Internet! William wrote down everything he could to help families be reunited. What an amazing legacy!

Verdict:

This would be a really great picture book biography to have in a school classroom. It’s a wonderful example of seeing a need for something and doing something about it, even if it’s difficult. There’s even a teacher’s guide available on the publisher’s website. I’m disappointed in myself for not sharing this earlier, but this beautiful book is truly a must-read.

If you’re interested in purchasing William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad by Don Tate, please use my affiliate links for Bookshop.org or Amazon.com. When you purchase from either of these links, I will earn a commission as an affiliate.

Need to Know:

Title: William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad
Author: Don Tate
Publisher: Peachtree Publishing
Publication Date: November 1, 2020
Page Number: 40 pgs.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.