"ONE OF THE BEST ACCOUNTS OF HOW RUNAWAY SLAVES MADE THEIR WAY TO FREEDOM": FIRST EDITION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WILLIAM STILL'S MONUMENTAL UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD, 1872, WITH FRONTISPIECE AND NUMEROUS ENGRAVED ILLUSTRATIONS

STILL, William. The Underground Rail Road. A Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters, &c., Narrating the Hardships Hair-breadth Escapes and Death Struggles of the Slaves in their efforts for Freedom, As Related by Themselves and Others, Or Witnessed by the Author… Philadelphia: Porter & Coates, 1872. Thick octavo, original beveled, gilt-stamped brown cloth boards rebacked in brown cloth..

First edition of the first definitive and groundbreaking history of the Underground Railroad—"the only work on that subject written by an African American"—with engraved frontispiece portrait of William Still, famed as father of the Underground Railroad, profusely illustrated with 23 full-page and numerous in-text engravings, in original deluxe gilt-stamped boards.

The history of the Underground Railroad "is an epic of high drama… one of the most ambitious political undertakings in American history" (Bordewich, Bound for Canan, 4). Leading African American abolitionist William Still remains "the 19th-century's foremost chronicler of the Underground Railroad" (Piloski & Williams, 1013). Known as the father of the Underground Railroad, he was born a free man to former slaves, and served for decades as chairman of Philadelphia's Vigilance Committee, where he "kept a record of the experiences of all fugitives who came through the city" (Dumond, 333). Still's monumental work "illustrates the inventiveness of runaways, the desperate struggles of enslaved families, and the network of abolitionists" stretching all the way to Canada (Sinha, Slave's Cause, 536). "Underground Railroad is one of the best accounts of how runaway slaves made their way to freedom… The only work on that subject by an African American, it was also the only day-by-day record of the working of a vigilance committee. While Still gave credit to 'the grand little army of abolitionists,' he put the spotlight on the fugitives themselves, saying 'the race had no more eloquent advocates than its own self-emancipated champions.' Besides recording their courageous deeds, Still hoped that the book would demonstrate the intellectual ability of his race. Along with the records of slave escapes he included excerpts from newspapers, legal documents, correspondence of abolitionists and former slaves, and some biographical sketches" (ANB). First edition: "Sold by Subscription" on title page. Containing engraved frontispiece with facsimile signature below Still's portrait, 23 full-page and numerous in-text engravings (with publisher's estimate of "70" on title page including engraved figures not in the list of illustrations). As issued without dust jacket. Work, 338. See Blockson 10178-10179. Penciled owner signature, two words underlined (p.3). Small inkstamp to title page verso, occasional small embossed stamps.

Text and plates generally fresh with light occasional edge-wear, soiling, endpapers renewed, boards expertly restored.