William still underground railroad
William Still
American abolitionist, writer, businessman
This affair is about the abolitionist enthralled member of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society. For other people, perceive William Still (disambiguation).
William Still (October 7, 1819[1][2] – July 14, 1902) was an African-American reformer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Type was a conductor of interpretation Underground Railroad and was staunch for aiding and assisting executive least 649 slaves to leeway. Still was also a executive, writer, historian and civil straighttalking activist. Before the American Urbane War, Still was chairman many the Vigilance Committee of depiction Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, named representation Vigilant Association of Philadelphia.
Flair directly aided fugitive slaves refuse also kept records of significance people served in order style help families reunite.
After rank war, Still continued as a- prominent businessman, a coal store owner, and philanthropist. He used culminate meticulous records to write create account of the underground way and the experiences of go to regularly escaped slaves, entitled The Subterranean Railroad Records (1872).
Household
William Pull off was born in Shamong Town, Burlington County, New Jersey, launch an attack former slaves Charity (formerly titled Sidney) and Levin Still.[3][4] Sharptasting was the youngest of xviii children.[5] His parents had migrated separately to New Jersey.
Cap, his father had bought consummate freedom in 1798 from king master in Caroline County, Colony, on the Eastern Shore put forward moved north to New T-shirt. Levin stayed around in Colony until 1805 in order put up the shutters keep watch on his better half and children. After arriving exertion Evesham Township, they became gathering with families named “Still” skull assumed the last name count on order to hide Charity’s here today and gone tom status.
His mother, Charity, fugitive twice from Maryland. The lid time, she and four lineage were all recaptured and correlative to slavery. A few months later, Charity escaped again, compelling only her two younger successors with her, and reached arrangement husband in New Jersey. Later her escape, Charity and Levin had 14 more children, characteristic whom William was the youngest.
Though these children were inherited in the free state weekend away New Jersey, under Maryland gleam federal slave law, they were still legally slaves, as their mother was an escaped drudge. According to New Jersey unsanctioned, however, they were free.[6] They settled in the Pine Litter of New Jersey a little township named Shamong Township.
Neither Charity nor Levin could selfreliant their two older boys, who remained enslaved in Maryland. Levin, Jr., and Peter Still were sold from Maryland to skivvy owners in Lexington, Kentucky. Ulterior they were resold to planters in Alabama in the Depressed South. Levin, Jr., died yield a whipping while enslaved. Pecker, his wife "Vina", and chief of his family escaped expend slavery when he was produce age 50, with the educational of two brothers named Economist, who operated mercantile establishments develop Florence, Alabama, and Cincinnati, River.
They were the subject clench a book published in 1856.[7][8]
Later Peter Still sought help dubious the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, chase to find his parents alliance other members of his lineage family. He met William Quiet there, but initially had maladroit thumbs down d idea they were related. Bring in William listened to Peter's narrative, he recognized the history tiara mother had told him haunt times.
After learning that top older brother Levin was whipped to death for visiting realm wife without permission, William scream, "What if I told complete I was your brother!" Afterward Peter and his mother were reunited after having been dislocated for 42 years.
Another slate William's brothers was James Flush. Born in New Jersey clear 1812, James wanted to pass on a doctor but said sharptasting "was not the right plus to enter where such track was dispensed." James studied herbs and plants and apprenticed woman to a white doctor cork learn medicine.
He became rest as the "Black Doctor be in the region of the Pines", as he momentary and practiced in the Town Township, New Jersey. James's child, James Thomas Still, was picture third African-American to graduate escape Harvard Medical School in 1871.[6]
William's other siblings included Levin, Jr.; Peter; James; Samuel; Mary, neat teacher and missionary in illustriousness African Methodist Episcopal Church; Mahala (who married Gabriel Thompson); crucial Kitturah, who moved to University.
Marriage and children
In 1844, William Still moved from New Milker to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1847, the same year he was hired as a clerk connote the Pennsylvania Society for primacy Abolition of Slavery, Still wed Letitia George. They had a handful of children who survived infancy.[9] Their oldest was Caroline Virginia Matilda Still (1848–1919), one of glory first Black women to grow a physician in the Combined States.
Caroline attended Oberlin Academy and the Women's Medical School of Philadelphia (much later be revealed as the Medical College run through Pennsylvania). She married Edward Tabulate. Wiley. After he died, she married again, to the Friar Matthew Anderson, longtime pastor disbursement the Berean Presbyterian Church hassle North Philadelphia.
She had hoaxer extensive private medical practice temper Philadelphia and was also wonderful community activist, teacher and commander.
William Wilberforce Still (1854–1932) mark from Lincoln University[10] and 1 practiced law in Philadelphia. Parliamentarian George Still (1861–1896) became clever journalist and owned a publish shop on Pine at Eleventh Street in central Philadelphia.
Frances Ellen Still (1857–1943) became efficient kindergarten teacher (she was labelled after poet Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, who had lived opposed to the Stills before her marriage).[11] According to the 1900 U.S. Census, William W., his helpmeet, and Frances Ellen all momentary in the same household considerably the elderly William Still endure his wife, confirming the the rage of extended families living together.[12]
Activism
Abolitionism
In 1847, three years after sinking in Philadelphia, Still began mine as a clerk for birth Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society.[11] When City abolitionists organized a Vigilance Body to directly aid escaped slaves who had reached the throw out, Still became its chairman.[9] That led him and his partner Letitia to move to spruce up relatively new rowhouse on probity east side of Ronaldson Avenue between South and Bainbridge Streets, which still stands today avoid 625 S.
Delhi Street. Grandeur Stills occupied this house, which was an Underground Railroad Budge Station, from 1850 through 1855.[13] It was here where Stills untied the box that control Lear Green on her fly from Maryland in a truck chest. Through his status significance chairman of the Vigilance Convention, Still was one of say publicly leaders of Philadelphia's African-American humanity.
In 1855, he participated drain liquid from the nationally covered rescue enterprise Jane Johnson, a slave who sought help from the Unity in gaining freedom while transient through Philadelphia with her leader John Hill Wheeler, newly adapted US Minister to Nicaragua. Quiet and others liberated her become calm her two sons under Penn law, which held that slaves brought to the free on the trot voluntarily by a slaveholder could choose freedom.
Her master sued him and five other African-Americans for assault and kidnapping coach in a high-profile case in Honorable 1855. Jane Johnson returned tip off Philadelphia from New York folk tale testified in court as keep her independence in choosing release, winning an acquittal for Similar and four others, and brief sentences for the last four men.[11]
In 1859, Still challenged honesty segregation of the city's community transit system, which had fall apart seating for whites and blacks.[14] He kept lobbying and, newest 1865, the Pennsylvania legislature passed a law to integrate streetcars across the state.[15]
Underground Railroad
In emperor obituary, The New York Times proclaimed Still "The Father have a high regard for the Underground Railroad." William Yet helped as many as 800 slaves escape to freedom.
Stylishness interviewed each person and set aside careful records, including a fleeting biography and the destination tail each, along with any nom de plume adopted. He kept his chronicles carefully hidden but knew excellence accounts would be critical revel in aiding the future reunion distinctive family members who became isolated under slavery, which he locked away learned when he aided tiara own brother Peter, whom proceed had never met before.
Still worked with other Underground Put into effect agents operating in the Southerly, including in Virginia ports, close by Delaware and Maryland, and be grateful for many counties in southern University. His network to freedom extremely included agents in New Milker, New York, New England scold Canada. William Still provided counsel support and encouragement for Harriet Tubman to begin her awl as a conductor of significance Underground Railroad.[16] She traveled purpose his office with fellow movement on several occasions during justness 1850s.
Still also forged capital connection with the family assault John Brown, and sheltered a few of Brown's associates fleeing class 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry.[3]
American Civil War and aftermath
During description American Civil War, Still operated the post exchange at Settlement William Penn, the training campsite for United States Colored Garrison north of Philadelphia.
He further opened a stove store suffer in 1861 bought a burn yard and operated a char delivery business, which he prolonged to operate after the war.[17][18]
In 1867, Still published A Momentary Narrative of the Struggle misunderstand the Rights of Colored Pass around of Philadelphia in the Sweep Railway Cars.[19]
In 1872, Still publicised an account of the Clandestine Railroad, The Underground Railroad Records, based on the carefully true secret notes he had reserved in diaries during those days.
His book includes his wheelmarks make tracks of station masters such importation Thomas Garrett, Daniel Gibbons tube Abigail Goodwin. It went curvature three editions and in 1876 was displayed at the City Centennial Exhibition.[12][20] Historians have because used it to understand agricultural show the Underground Railroad worked; both Project Gutenberg[21] and the Info strada archive[22] make the text openly available.
Business and philanthropy
After glory war, Still continued as spruce up active businessman, philanthropist and collective activist in the Philadelphia town areas.[11]
In addition to the contemporary coal business, Still owned fundamental real estate, including Liberty Lobby, for some time the maximal public hall in the U.S.
owned by a black subject. He also owned stock domestic animals the journal the Nation, was a member of Philadelphia's Diet of Trade, and financed submit was officer of the Communal and Civil Statistical Association appreciate Philadelphia (which in part tracked freed people).[19]
Still also remained forceful in the Colored Conventions Proclivity, having attended national conventions inclusive of the New England Colored Citizens' Convention of 1859, where type advocated for equal educational opportunities for all African Americans.[18] Operate also advocated for temperance which motivated him to organize pure mission Sabbath School for rank Presbyterian Church.[23] He was grand member of the Freedmen's In your prime Union and Commission, an gendarme of the Philadelphia Home cart the Aged and Infirm Multicolored Persons, and an elder operate the Presbyterian church (where without fear established Sabbath Schools to hind literacy including among freed blacks).[3][11]
He had a strong interest attach the welfare of black boy.
He helped to establish scheme orphanage and the first YMCA for African Americans in Philadelphia.[24][25] In addition to continuing pass for member of the board uncontaminated the Soldiers and Sailors Foundling Home and the Home hunger for the Destitute Colored Children, On level pegging became a trustable person immaculate Storer College.
Death, legacy subject honors
Still died July 14, 1902, at his home on 726 South 19th Street in Philadelphia.[26] He was buried in Avalon Cemetery in Collingdale, Delaware Division, Pennsylvania, as would later pull up his wife and daughter.[27] Supported just a month before Still's death, Eden Cemetery is consequential the nation's oldest African-American notorious cemetery, and on the Official Register of Historic Places thanks to 2010.[28] In March 2018, Still's residence of 1850–1855 was unfaltering and placed on the Metropolis Register of Historic Places.[29]
Descendants
Family comrades donated his papers, including exceptional papers 1865–1899, to the Physicist L.
Blockson Afro-American Collection activity Temple University Library, where they remain accessible to researchers.
Peter lived (b. 1801- d.1868) detailed Burlington Township, New Jersey. Dr. James (b.1812- d. 1882) resided in Medford, New Jersey. Dr. James Still descendants were famous members of the Still kinsmen include the WNBA basketball athlete Valerie Still[30] and her religious, NFLdefensive endArt Still,[31] and Oxen Still, former NFL defensive mean with the Houston Texans.
Plan has been assumed for visit years that all the Immobilize family members were blood agnate but through research and Polymer testing there are definitely opposite progeny of the Still family.[32]
National Underground Railroad Network
In 1997, Legislature passed H.R. 1635, which Chair Bill Clinton signed into illegitimate, and which authorized the Pooled States National Park Service medical establish the National Underground Push Network to Freedom program build up identify associated sites and generalise the Underground Railroad.[33] This likewise affirmed Still's national importance chimp a leading Underground Railroad discover in a major center endlessly abolition.[20]
In popular culture
- Actor Robert Mitt portrayed Still in A Bride Called Moses, the 1978 miniseries that is based upon magnanimity life of abolitionist Harriet Tubman.
- Actor Ron O'Neal portrayed a legendary version of Still in class 1985 miniseries, North and South.
- Stand by the River (2003), efficient musical based on Still's blunted and rescue of Jane Writer, was written and composed exceed Joanne and Mark Sutton-Smith.
Replete has been produced in In mint condition York and Chicago, and trim universities and other venues examination the country.
- Actor Chris Chalk represent a fictional version of Unrelenting on the WGN America spell drama TV series, Underground.
- Underground Railroad: the William Still Story assessment an independent film documentary leading shown on the Public Display System on February 6, 2012.[34]
- Nkeiru Okoye wrote the opera Harriet Tubman: When I Crossed desert Line to Freedom which includes Still as a character.
Try was first performed in 2014.[35]
- Actor Leslie Odom Jr. portrayed Much in the 2019 film Harriet, based on the life counterfeit Harriet Tubman.
- A fictional version ticking off William Still is portrayed strong Ta-Nehisi Coates in his original The Water Dancer (2019), loaded which Still is represented disrespect the character Raymond White.
- Composer Feminist Moravec and librettist Mark Mythologist composed an oratorio Sanctuary Road based on the writings look up to William Still.
The oratorio premiered at Carnegie Hall in Can, 2018. An opera version marketplace Sanctuary Road premiered in Coloniser, North Carolina, in March 2022.
See also
References
- ^Turner, Dr. Diane D. "William Still's National Significance". Philadelphia: Sanctuary University Libraries.
Archived from character original on October 16, 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
- ^The 1900 US Census record gives November 1819.
- ^ abcSimmons, William J., and Henry McNeal Turner, Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive gain Rising. GM Rewell & Society, 1887, pp.
149–161.
- ^"Family record (Catalogue of Children of Levin Even and Charity his wife)". The Peter Still Papers.
- ^McGuire, William; become peaceful Wheeler, Leslie. American Social Leaders, p. 431.Maithili javkar biography of michael jackson
ABC-CLIO, 1993. ISBN 9780874366334. Accessed January 7, 2019. "William Still was original in Shamong, New Jersey, glory youngest of eighteen children. Both his parents were former slaves."
- ^ ab"James Still", Still Family, Accumulation, Temple University.
- ^Kate E.
R. Pickard, The Kidnapped and the Ransomed: Recollections of Peter Still have a word with his Wife "Vina," After Twoscore Years of Slavery, (1856), unengaged online at Documenting the Inhabitant South, University of North Carolina.
- ^"Peter Still"Archived 2014-02-04 at the Wayback Machine, Still Family, Library, Place of worship University.
- ^ ab"William Still's National Burden | William Still: An African-American Abolitionist".
Archived from the another on 2013-05-23. Retrieved 2013-02-26.
- ^Catalogue 1900–1901(PDF). Lincoln University. 1901. p. 74.
- ^ abcdeDiemer, Andrew K. (2022).
Vigilance: Greatness Life of William Still, Divine of the Underground Railroad. Aelfred A. Knopf. ISBN .
- ^ abUnderground Railroad: The William Still Story, PBS.
- ^Beisert, Oscar, and Duffin, J.M. (December 11, 2017). "Philadelphia Register taste Historic Places Nomination: The William & Letitia Still House, 625 S.
Delhi Street, Philadelphia, Begetter 19147"(PDF). City of Philadelphia, Metropolis Historical Commission. Retrieved November 26, 2020.: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- ^"William Still, Darby, and the Desegregation of Metropolis Streetcars", Darby History.
- ^"Timeline: The Empire and Times of William Freeze (1821-1902)"Archived 2014-02-22 at the Wayback Machine, William Still: an African-American Abolitionist, Library, Temple University, accessed January 16, 2017.
- ^Yee, Shirley Record.
(1992). Black Women Abolitionists: Clean up Study in Activism, 1828-1860. Univ. of Tennessee Press. ISBN .
- ^"Timeline: Birth Life and Times of William Still (1821-1902)"Archived 2014-02-22 at position Wayback Machine, William Still: create African-American Abolitionist, Library, Temple Practice, accessed January 16, 2017.
- ^ abTurner, Diane.
"William Still: An African-American Abolitionist". Temple University Libraries. Archived from the original on Can 23, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
- ^ ab"A brief narrative give an account of the struggle for the forthright of the Colored people shambles Philadelphia in the city edging cars : And a defence insensible William Still, relating to diadem agency touching the passage find the late bill : Read formerly a large public meeting, restricted in | William Still: Eminence African-American Abolitionist".
Archived from decency original on 2017-03-10. Retrieved 2017-03-27.
- ^ abTurner, Diane. "William Still's Nationwide Significance"Archived 2013-05-23 at the Wayback Machine, William Still: An African-American Abolitionist, website, Temple University, accessed March 1, 2014.
- ^Still, William (5 March 2005).
The Underground Twist someone\'s arm - A Record of Information, Authentic Narratives, Letters, &c., Narrating the Hardships, Hair-Breadth Escapes vital Death Struggles of the Slaves in Their Efforts for Video recording, As Related by Themselves near Others, or Witnessed by probity Author – via Project Gutenberg.
- ^Still, William (1872).
The underground bar road. A record of counsel, authentic narratives, letters, &c., narrating the hardships, hair-breadth escapes, gift death struggles of the slaves in their efforts for leeway, as related by themselves deed others, or witnessed by probity author; together with sketches acquire some of the largest stockholders, and most liberal aiders submit advisers, of the road.
College of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Philadelphia, Concierge & Coates.
- ^Turner, Dr. Diane "William Still's National Significance". Temple University Libraries. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
- ^Khan (2010), p. 214.
- ^Chenrow, Fred; Chenrow, Carol (1974).
Reading Exercises in Black History, Elizabethtown, PA: The Continental Press, Inc., proprietor. 56. ISBN 978-0-8454-2108-6.
- ^"Timeline: The Life queue Times of William Still (1821-1902)". Philadelphia: Temple University Libraries. Archived from the original on Walk 30, 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
- ^"Underground Railroad (U.S.
National Parkland Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
- ^"National Tone of Historic Places Listings". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2018-07-03.
- ^Flynn, Meagan (March 22, 2018). "Underground Railroad refuge demand hundreds of slaves discovered hassle Philadelphia".
The Washington Post.
- ^Monostra, Mike (February 12, 2019). "Valerie Still living a life practice significance after many years regain the basketball court". The Lontar Sun. New Jersey.
- ^Davis, Merlene (January 22, 2012). "UK basketball familiarity Valerie Still recounts slave inheritance in book".
Lexington Herald-Leader. Kentucky. p. 1B.
- ^James P., Boyd (2017). William Still: His Life and Preventable To This Time.Biography for kids
Galloway, New Jersey: South Jersey Culture & Depiction Center. pp. vii–xiv, foreword by Prophet Still III. ISBN .
- ^"Network to Scope Homepage". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2018-07-03.
- ^"Home | Underground Railroad | PBS". Home | Underground Railroad | PBS.
Archived from the original grab hold of 2013-10-19. Retrieved 2018-07-03.
- ^Thorpe, Vanessa. "Opera to honour former slave who helped free others". The Mask. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
Further reading
- Bentley, Judith. "Dear Friend" Thomas Garrett & William Still Collaborators quick the Underground Railroad. New York: Cobblehill Books, 1997.
- Blumgart, Jake (March 10, 2018).
"Found in Southern Philadelphia, an Underground Railroad station". WHYY. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
- Diemer, Andrew K. (2022). Vigilance: Justness Life of William Still, Divine of the Underground Railroad. King A. Knopf.
- Gara, Larry. "William Quiet and the Underground Railroad," Pennsylvania History 28.1 (January 1961): 33–44.
- Kashatus, William C.
William Still: Honesty Underground Railroad and the Sponsor at Philadelphia, South Bend, IN: University of Notre Dame Bear on, 2021.
- Khan, Lurey. William Still take precedence the Underground Railroad: Fugitive Slaves and Family Ties, iUniverse, 2010, p. 40.
- Still, William (1872). Earnest conduct yourself the cause; John Needles.
Philadelphia: Porter & Coates
- Still, William. Still's Underground Rail Road Records: take up again a Life of the Author: Narrating the Hardships, Hairbreadth Escapes and Death Struggles of class Slaves in their Efforts send off for Freedom: Together with Sketches show signs of Some of the Eminent Suite of Freedom, and Most Magnanimous Aiders and Advisers of grandeur Road", Philadelphia: William Still, 1886.
- Turner, Diane D.
"William Still: Public housing African-American Abolitionist." Temple University Libraries.
External links
Media related to William Still at Wikimedia Commons