SJR134

A Joint Resolution designating October 7 of each year as “William Still Day”.

Whereas, William Still was born on October 7, 1821 in Burlington County, New Jersey as the youngest of eighteen children; and

Whereas, William’s parents, Levin and Charity Still, were born into slavery, his father eventually bought his freedom and his mother escaped slavery in Maryland; and

Whereas, During a time when laws prohibited Blacks from learning to read and write, William taught himself to do so; and

Whereas, In 1844, William moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and married Letitia George in 1847 with whom he had four children; and

Whereas, In 1847, William was hired as Clerk for the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery (“the Society”) and assisted fugitive Africans who came through Philadelphia on the Underground Railroad; and

Whereas, Upon passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, William was appointed Chairman of the Society’s Vigilance Committee that aided fugitive Africans; and

Whereas, William was a major leader within Philadelphia’s free Black community that played an essential role in the Underground Railroad; and

Whereas, William personally provided room and board for many Africans who escaped slavery and stopped in Philadelphia on their way to Canada, and he raised funds to assist runaways’ passage to the North; and

Whereas, In fact, William was instrumental in financing several of Harriet Tubman’s trips to the South to liberate enslaved Africans; and

Whereas, William ultimately helped hundreds of enslaved Africans escape from slavery including his brother, Peter Still; and

Whereas, William also became a civil rights advocate in the North and worked to improve race relations; and

Whereas, In 1859, William wrote a letter to the press protesting the racial discrimination that African Americans faced on Philadelphia streetcars; and

Whereas, In 1867, he published A Brief Narrative of the Struggle for the Rights of Colored People of Philadelphia in the City Railway Cars; and

Whereas, In 1872, William self-published his well-known book The Underground Railroad wherein he documented the stories of formerly enslaved Africans who escaped slavery; and

Whereas, The Underground Railroad is the only first-person account of Black activities on the Underground Railroad that is written and self-published by an African American; and

Whereas, The Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection houses William’s writings dating from 1865 through 1899, which include 140 letters relating to his family matters; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. October 7 of each year is designated as “William Still Day” in New Jersey.

2. The Governor is respectfully requested to annually issue a proclamation and call upon public officials, private organizations, and all citizens of this State to observe “William Still Day” with appropriate awareness activities and programs

3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This joint resolution designates October 7 of each year as “William Still Day” in New Jersey.

William Still was born on October 7, 1821 in Burlington County, New Jersey. His parents were born into slavery. His father eventually bought his freedom and his mother escaped from slavery in Maryland. William taught himself to read and write. William was hired as Clerk for the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery (“the Society”) and assisted hundreds of fugitive Africans who came through Philadelphia on the Underground Railroad. William was appointed Chairman of the Society’s Vigilance Committee and became a major leader within Philadelphia’s free Black community, personally providing room and board for many Africans who escaped slavery and stopped in Philadelphia on their way to Canada. William helped finance several of Harriet Tubman’s trips to the South to liberate enslaved Africans.

William self-published The Underground Railroad wherein he documented the stories of formerly enslaved Africans who escaped slavery. The Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection houses William’s writings dating from 1865 through 1899.