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Historian Recreates Underground Railroad Trek for 250th Anniversary
28 Jun
Summary
- A 750-mile journey retraces a historic Underground Railroad route.
- The walk aims to highlight the path to freedom for enslaved people.
- The historian is joined by a descendant of a prominent slave-trading family.
Historian Anthony Cohen is undertaking a 750-mile trek from Maryland to Toronto, Canada, retracing a route of the Underground Railroad. This journey, dubbed the "Freedom Walk," is timed to coincide with the United States' 250th anniversary and aims to bring attention to the historical path to freedom.
Cohen, who first made this journey in 1996, founded the Menare Foundation to create immersive historical experiences. His current walk follows historic maps and accounts, winding through Delaware, New Jersey, and New York, with some travel by train. He is accompanied by Tom DeWolf, a descendant of one of America's largest slave-trading families, who aims to help forge a new family legacy.
They are holding events along the way to discuss the slave trade and the Underground Railroad. Cohen is expected to reach Canada on July 1 and complete his walk in Toronto on July 4, aligning with the U.S. anniversary. The Harriet Tubman Journey to Freedom statue is also part of this commemorative walk.
