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William Still was an African-American abolitionist who took part in the Underground Railroad as a 'conductor' and documenter of the Abolitionist Movement and, in particular, the hardships of the railroad "passengers."

He was born in 1821 to former slaves in Burlington County, New Jersey. His father, Levin Steel, settled in a N.J. farm after purchasing his own freedom. Mr. Steel changed his name to Still to protect his wife, Sidney, who had permanently joined him when she succeeded in her second attempt to escape from slavery in Maryland. The first time, she fled with her four children but was recaptured. The second time, to secure their freedom, she escaped with only her two daughters. She was forced to leave two sons behind, who were sold to slave owners in Alabama. She later changed her name to Charity.

Still was the youngest of 18 children. He had little formal schooling, but studied grammar on his own and read what was available. In 1844, he moved to Philadelphia, where he did various jobs, including handyman in several households.

In 1847, he started working in the office of the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery. Initially, he worked as janitor and clerk, but soon got involved with aiding fugitive slaves.

Still gave refuge to many of the fugitives who rested in Philadelphia before resuming their journey to Canada through the Underground Railroad. In a touching twist, one of those escaped slaves turned out to be his own brother Peter, whom his mother had left behind 40 years earlier.

He later reported that finding his brother motivated him to document records and accounts from former slaves, which provided valuable source material for The Underground Railroad, the book he wrote and published in 1872.

This book was important because, in contrast with accounts written by White abolitionists, it depicted the fugitives as brave people struggling for their freedom, rather than helpless passengers on a white Underground Railroad.

Still was named chairman of the vigilance committee that Philadelphia abolitionists organized to aid the large number of fugitives going through the city after the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.

In 1855, Still traveled to Canada to visit communities settled by former African-American slaves. His positive reports counteracted the circulating criticism of blacks in Canada. Five years later, he cited the examples of successful black people in Canada to advocate for the emancipation of all slaves.

In 1859, he initiated a campaign against racial discrimination on Philadelphia railroad cars by exposing the injustice in a letter to the press. When some Philadelphia black citizens opposed Still's battle to eradicate the segregation of blacks on the streetcars, he wrote A Brief Narrative of the Struggle for the Rights of the Colored People of Philadelphia in the City Railway Cars (1867).

The campaign concluded successfully in 1867 when the Pennsylvania legislature passed a law banning such discrimination.

Still gave refuge to John Brown's wife for some time following Brown's unsuccessful raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859, and he also helped several of Brown's accomplices.

In 1861, Still concluded his work in the antislavery office, but he remained involved with the society as vice-president for eight years and president from 1896 to 1901.

During the Civil War, he started a stove store and later a successful coal delivery business, which earned him a seat on the Philadelphia Board of Trade and allowed him to live in a fancy home with his wife, Letitia George, and their four children.

As a member of the Presbyterian church, he helped found a Mission Sabbath School. He also established in 1880 one of the first YMCAs for blacks and helped administer homes for black seniors and impoverished children, as well as an orphanage for the children of black soldiers and sailors. Still died of complications from a kidney disease in 1902.