Anthony Michael Cohen of Germantown is set to begin a 750-mile walk on May 4 retracing Harriet Tubman’s Underground Railroad route from Maryland to Canada, and a series of kickoff rallies across Maryland and Virginia will lead up to the journey.
The effort, known as #FreedomWalk2026, will feature Cohen alongside the bronze statue The Journey to Freedom at churches, schools, and community events starting April 17. Cohen, a renowned historian and president of the Menare Foundation, first gained international attention for completing the route 30 years ago and is now preparing to walk it again in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
“I’m thrilled with the response to this trip,” Cohen said in a statement, adding that the walk is meant to bring attention to Harriet Tubman’s legacy of “unwavering courage, liberation, and humanitarianism.”
Several Montgomery County stops are part of the lead-up to the walk, including events at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park in Sandy Spring on April 17 and 18, BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown on April 25, Emory Grove United Methodist Church in Gaithersburg on April 26, Riverworks Art Center in Poolesville on April 30, the Jesus Christ Church of Latter Day Saints Temple Visitors Center in Kensington on May 1, and the Beall-Dawson House in Rockville on May 3. The official walk kickoff is scheduled for May 4 from 10am to noon at the Sandy Spring Slave Museum.
Cohen’s route will take him through Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York before concluding in Toronto, Canada, on July 4, 2026.
The primary funding for #FreedomWalk2026 will come through a per-mile pledge campaign, with support also coming from organizations including Coming to the Table, Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth, Washington Revels, and the Potomac Community Foundation.
