Anthony Michael Cohen from Germantown is gearing up for an inspiring 750-mile journey starting May 4, as he retraces Harriet Tubman’s historic Underground Railroad route from Maryland to Canada. Leading up to this significant walk, a series of kickoff rallies will take place across Maryland and Virginia.
This initiative, known as #FreedomWalk2026, will see Cohen accompanied by the bronze statue “The Journey to Freedom” at various churches, schools, and community gatherings starting April 17. As a distinguished historian and president of the Menare Foundation, Cohen first garnered international recognition for completing this route three decades ago. He is now set to walk it again to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary.
“I’m excited about the positive response to this journey,” Cohen expressed in a statement, emphasizing that the walk aims to honor Harriet Tubman’s legacy of “unwavering courage, liberation, and humanitarianism.”
Several events in Montgomery County are scheduled in the lead-up to the walk, including gatherings 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 kickoff for the walk is set for May 4, from 10 AM to noon at the Sandy Spring Slave Museum.
Cohen’s journey will take him through Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York, ultimately concluding in Toronto, Canada, on July 4, 2026.
The primary funding for #FreedomWalk2026 will be generated through a per-mile pledge campaign, with additional support from organizations such as Coming to the Table, Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth, Washington Revels, and the Potomac Community Foundation.
