Sydney Howard Gay (1814-1888) was a lawyer, journalist, and abolitionist based in New York City. He served as editor of the National Anti-Slavery Standard for 14 years, beginning in 1843. His offices became an Underground Railroad stop, and he got actively involved in coordinating with others to help runaway slaves escape to freedom. He collaborated closely with Louis Napoleon, a free black man. For over two years, Gay kept a meticulous account of the about 200 men he and Napoleon assisted in what became known as the account of Fugitives. Because Gay supported those traveling from Philadelphia, parts of his notes coincide with those of activist William Still, who published his tale in 1872. Gay's record was not located among his files at Columbia University until the early twenty-first century. Gay and Napoleon may have helped an estimated 3,000 refugees reach upstate New York and Canada. His record demonstrates how big the Underground Railroad was, helped by hundreds of people from various areas of life.
