Today our co-Founder Morgan introduced William Still.
Here are all the things about him in addition to all the things she mentioned in the video because - he's that dope.
1. William Still's mom Charity escaped enslavement TWICE.
She got captured and returned the first time. Genealogist Shamele Jordan created this story map of Charity Still's freedom story.
2. Southern New Jersey operated as a free Black region with over 140 free Black settlements.
Charity and many other enslaved Black people knew that if they crossed into Southern New Jersey, they would find free Black towns where they could settled and build lives. Check out Lawnside, a town that still exists, that started as a sanctuary town. Timbuctoo was also a great town.
3. Peter Mott operated one of the free Black run Underground Railroad Stops in Lawnside, NJ.
He would welcome freedom seekers and they would settle there. It was called Free Haven then and many of the decedents of those freedom seekers still live there. The Still family still lives in Lawnside. Go visit the Peter Mott house.
4. his brother Peter was one of the people that walked into his office.
See, Charity had to leave two of her four children behind when she escaped enslavement the second time (see the first point above). It turned into a 'wait....are you?!?!?' moment for both of them, 20 years years later in Philadelphia.
Finally, the movie Harriet is great and you should watch it. And there is a lot of William Still in it.
Here's a clip from the movie, where William Still in introducing Harriet Tubman to the leaders of the Vigilance Committee - the group of people running networks of freedom, sanctuary and support for thousands of freedom seekers. Headquartered in Philadelphia.
See the book Morgan Talked about
The Underground Railroad These stories are GOOOOOD. Read them!