Underground Railroad: The William Still Story
Official Trailer
Preview | 30s
This is the story of a man who risked his life shepherding runaway slaves to freedom.
Underground Railroad: The William Still Story is the story of a humble Philadelphia clerk who risked his life shepherding runaway slaves to freedom in the tumultuous years leading up to America's Civil War. William Still was the director of a complex network of abolitionists, sympathizers and safe houses that stretched from Philadelphia to what is now Southern Ontario.
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Underground Railroad: The William Still Story is made possible by CN Railway, the Rogers Cable Network, Canada Media Fund, The Rogers Documentary Fund, and by The Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Underground Railroad: The William Still Story
Official Trailer
Preview | 30s
Underground Railroad: The William Still Story is the story of a humble Philadelphia clerk who risked his life shepherding runaway slaves to freedom in the tumultuous years leading up to America's Civil War. William Still was the director of a complex network of abolitionists, sympathizers and safe houses that stretched from Philadelphia to what is now Southern Ontario.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch Underground Railroad: The William Still Story
Underground Railroad: The William Still Story is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Preview | 30s | This is the story of a man who risked his life shepherding runaway slaves to freedom. (30s)
William Still's Place in History
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Clip | 2m 18s | William Still earned the name "The Father of the Underground Railroad". (2m 18s)
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Clip | 3m 16s | In the 1850s many Americans believed that slaves were incapable of surviving on their own. (3m 16s)
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Clip | 1m 46s | Slaves who ran away from their masters and were re-captured suffered terrible punishments. (1m 46s)
Origin of the name Underground Railroad
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Clip | 1m 19s | Historians have never been able to pin down how the Underground Railroad got its name. (1m 19s)
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Clip | 2m 27s | Well-known Negro Spirituals of the mid-1800s are much more complex than they first appear. (2m 27s)
Sydney Still's Run for Freedom
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Clip | 3m 15s | Program Segment for PBS Learning Media (3m 15s)
The Fugitive Slave Act Classroom Segment
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Clip | 2m 45s | Program segment for PBS Learning Media (2m 45s)
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Clip | 5m 26s | Program segment for PBS Learning Media. (5m 26s)
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Clip | 1m 18s | Program segment for PBS Learning Media. (1m 18s)
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Clip | 2m 15s | The Fugitive Slave Act was an attempt by the government to appease southern slave states. (2m 15s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
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Underground Railroad: The William Still Story is made possible by CN Railway, the Rogers Cable Network, Canada Media Fund, The Rogers Documentary Fund, and by The Corporation for Public Broadcasting.