MALVERN, Pa. – William C. Kashatus will discus his new book, "William Still: The Underground Railroad and the Angel at Philadelphia," on Wednesday, Nov. 17, at Penn State Great Valley.
Based in Philadelphia, free Black abolitionist William Still built a reputation as a courageous leader, writer, philanthropist and guide for fugitive slaves. Still coordinated the Eastern Line of the Underground Railroad and was a pillar of the entire organization. Kashatus will discuss the operation of the Underground Railroad, Still's role as the primary agent of that secret route to freedom, and Still's multivariate analysis of the 995 fugitives he assisted to freedom and how those findings challenge the historiography of the Underground Railroad in significant ways.
Kashatus earned his bachelor’s degree from Earlham College, his master's in history at Brown University and a doctorate in history education at the University of Pennsylvania. He currently teaches history at Luzerne County Community College and has also taught at Penn’s Graduate School of Education and in the History Department of West Chester University. Kashatus is the author of more than two dozen books, has written and published more than 200 essays in numerous periodicals, and has appeared on local and national television and radio stations.
“Angel at Philadelphia: William Still and the Eastern Line of the Underground Railroad” will be held at 7 p.m. in Great Valley’s Conference Center Building. The event is free to attend, but advance registration is required. To register, visit greatvalley.psu.edu/community/events.
