In 2012, PBS aired a documentary that chronicled the life and legacy of a man known in his time as the “Father of the Underground Railroad.” To learn more about the film, we spoke to executive producer Gordon Henderson.

William Still (c. 1821–1902) was an abolitionist and civil rights activist who helped countless black slaves find freedom in Canada. Perhaps even more important, were the diligent records he kept of the people he helped along the way. In 1872, Still compiled the biographical details, personal narratives, and letters of over 600 fugitive slaves and published The Underground Railroad Records. This work became both a powerful anti-slavery testament and an invaluable historical document.