#FreedomWalk2026
“We Make the Path by Walking It” –inspired by Antonio Machado
A modern-day retracing of the Underground Railroad to Canada, on the 30th anniversary of historian Anthony Michael Cohen’s 1996 walk.
#FreedomWalk2026 is an 8-week long travelling commemoration of the Underground Railroad, where participants will retrace the route to freedom in the footsteps of 19th century self-liberators. This once-in-a-lifetime event will be led by The Menare Foundation, Inc. in partnership with Coming to the Table and Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth during the nation’s Semiquincentennial commemoration in 2026. He has a traveling minute from Sandy Springs Meeting in Maryland.
Walk Map and Dates (scroll down)
There are many ways to participate in #FreedomWalk2026 whether in person or remotely. See their different options below & the associate linked forms.
Our walk team, led by historian Anthony Cohen—who first walked the route in 1996—will trek 750 miles journey by foot, boat and rail using modes of transport of the original freedom seekers. The walk will launch from Sandy Spring, MD on May 4, 2026, on the 30th anniversary of the original walk, and conclude in Ontario, Canada on July 4, 2026.
Each week we will establish our base of operation in a different city along the way, where we will co-host events with local communities around the themes of history and community empowerment. Events will include teach-ins, service projects, lectures, installations and tours as well as opportunities for the public to walk with our team.
The Harriet Tubman Journey to Freedom statue, depicting the famed abolitionist on a harrowing rescue mission, will also accompany the walk. The large bronze sculpture, designed in 2019 by artist Wesley Wofford, evokes our nation’s ceaseless struggle for freedom, and will serve as a focal point for participants to reflect, engage and unite.
The 740-mile walk is a collaboration between The Menare Foundation and Coming to the Table | Taking America Beyond the Legacy of Enslavementas a learning and service journey – a way of engaging communities in public history, dialogue, and civic reflection.
About the Walk
Join the Journey
Walk Media
Support or Join the Walk
BASE STATIONS
If you can help us secure housing in these locations we want to hear from you. Base Stations will be established in the following cities: Maryland-Sandy Spring and Baltimore; Pennsylvania-Philadelphia; New York-Poughkeepsie, Albany, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and Niagara Falls.
