Hiding by day, running by night, living off prayers and will, thousands of slaves had to risk all they had in order to achieve what others are given at birth—freedom. The Underground Railroad is an intimate view of the experiences, heartaches, and triumphs of those who used the system. Told by the father of the system himself, The Underground Railroad is a collection of records kept by author William Still. Using narratives, letters, facts and first-hand accounts all witnessed by Still, The Underground Railroad tells the stories of hundreds of those who escaped slavery, offering readers a close and historically accurate look into the lives of slaves fighting for refuge.

While working for the Underground Railroad and helped escaped slaves to safety, William Still kept meticulous records. These notes originally were used to help reconnect families and document history, but Still later used these records to create The Underground Railroad, telling the stories of the disenfranchised. Said to have helped nearly eight-hundred slaves, Still depicts their stories of heartbreak, narrow escapes, and oppression.

Not only was Still a conductor of the Underground Railroad, but also was the child of a woman who braved the unknown, fought for her own freedom, and escaped life as a slave. The Underground Railroad uses first-hand accounts of the harsh conditions of slavery, and the lengths slaves had to go to for freedom.

The Underground Railroad by William Still is a work of historical nonfiction meant for all. The collection of vivid, personal stories serves as an excellent education of antebellum America directly from one of its witnesses. The underground railroad was among the most selfless acts of activism, fueled by the kindness and compassion by Americans who wanted the best for their peers. Still’s honest and raw gives readers direct access to the experiences of those who used the system and reclaimed their freedom. Witness the close encounters, joyful reunions, and incredible bravery of the slaves and activists that defended the American right of freedom for all.

Brought back into the light and revived with easy-to-read print, and an eye-catching design, William Still’sThe Underground Railroad is a reminder of both a heinous injustice of America’s past and the triumph of the activism and bravery that overcame it.