Abstract: A freestanding portable stairway railing device is disclosed comprising a frame structure having forward and rearward ends, a first support foot adapted to engage a stairway surface and secured to the rearward end of the frame structure, a second support foot adapted to engage the stairway surface and detachably secured to the frame structure in spaced apart relation to the first support foot so that the frame structure is supported in a freestanding upright disposition on the stairway surface, and a hand rail is attached to the upper portion of the frame structure. The attachment means for detachably securing the second support foot to the frame structure allows selective variance of the vertical distance between the frame structure and the stepping surface. The attachment means also allows selective variance of the distance between the first support foot and the second support foot.