Discover a powerful collection of the hardships, incredible escapes, and deadly struggles of slaves seeking freedom: These are the true stories of the Underground Railroad. A secret network of safe houses, committees, and guides that extended far below the Mason-Dixon line in the harsh slave states of the American South, the Underground Railroad remains one of the most remarkable and well-organized resistance movements in modern history. It facilitated the escape of over 30,000 "passenger" slaves to America and Canada during the peak period of 1850-60, and overall, it is estimated that 100,000 slaves found their freedom through this network. Compiled from William Still's "The Underground Railroad Records"—an epic historical document that records the first stories of American slaves who escaped to freedom through the Underground Railroad—the "Passengers" narrate the secret methods, dangers, and hidden sacrifices made to liberate so many from slavery. From stories of men coldly murdered for their involvement in aiding escapees and from terrifying descriptions of hidden passengers and dramatic escape plans, to stories of families reunited and the moments of folly that the Underground Railroad forced upon its "passengers," Still's narratives testify to the humanity of this vast undertaking. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY TA-NEHISI COATES, AUTHOR OF THE WATER DANCER COMPILED FROM THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD RECORDS BY WILLIAM STILL