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Classroom · Grades 6–12

William Still

William Still’s careful records show that the Underground Railroad was run largely by free Black communities and by freedom seekers themselves, and that keeping records could itself be an act of resistance.

Lesson at a Glance

Grades
Grades 6–12
Time
One class period (20–40 minutes)
Standards
NCSS Themes 2 (Time, Continuity, and Change), 3 (People, Places, and Environments), and 5 (Individuals, Groups, and Institutions); C3 D2.His.2, D2.His.10, D2.His.12
Reading
William Still (profile)

Big Idea

William Still’s careful records show that the Underground Railroad was run largely by free Black communities and by freedom seekers themselves, and that keeping records could itself be an act of resistance.

Before Class

Students read the profile of William Still, including the Key Dates and Sources.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why did Still keep written records of the people he helped, even though those records could have been used as evidence against him?
  2. How did his reunion with his brother Peter shape his view of why records mattered?
  3. Still’s book places the courage of people escaping slavery at the center of the story. How does that differ from accounts that focus on white conductors and hidden tunnels?
  4. After the war Still campaigned against segregated streetcars in Philadelphia. How did the fight against slavery connect to the fight for equal treatment in the North?
  5. If you were writing Still’s records in 1855, what information would you include, and what would you leave out to protect people?

Activity

Assign each small group one short narrative from The Underground Rail Road. Groups fill in a record card modeled on Still’s method: name, origin, enslaver, route, reason for escape, and who helped. Groups then present their card, and the class tallies who planned and carried out each escape. Discuss what the tally shows about who made the Underground Railroad work, and why Still hid his records until slavery ended. (30–40 minutes.)

Primary Sources

Cite this page
MLA
“Classroom lesson: William Still.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/classroom/william-still/.
APA
Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Classroom lesson: William Still. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/classroom/william-still/
Chicago
Black-History.com Editors. “Classroom lesson: William Still.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/classroom/william-still/.
Editorial Note

By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.

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