Full Breakdown
Freedom Walk: 750-Mile Reenactment of the Underground Railroad
6/28/2026, 5:07:34 AM
The Underground Railroad: A Secret Escape Network
The Underground Railroad was a secret network of routes that enabled thousands of enslaved people to escape captivity in the United States and seek freedom in Canada.
Key Participants: Anthony Cohen, Menare Foundation, and Tom DeWolf
Anthony Cohen, a historian and founder of the Menare Foundation, creates immersive history experiences about the Underground Railroad. The foundation organizes public stop-overs and educational materials for the walk. Tom DeWolf, a descendant of a family once identified as the United States’ largest slave-trading operation, joined to confront his lineage. The Harriet Tubman Journey to Freedom statue travels with the group.
2024 Walk Timeline
- 1996 – Cohen first walked an Underground Railroad route from Maryland to Ontario.
- 2024 – The Freedom Walk proceeds through Delaware, New Jersey and New York.
- July 1 – Cohen crosses into Canada.
- July 4 – Arrival in Toronto, concluding the trek.
Route Scope and Educational Stops
The Freedom Walk spans roughly 750 miles across Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Ontario, Canada. Cohen’s itinerary includes public stops coordinated by the Menare Foundation, each offering opportunities for people to learn about the Underground Railroad and the walk’s history.
Significance and Educational Impact
The walk serves as a mobile classroom, linking contemporary audiences to the lived experience of enslaved people seeking liberty. By involving a descendant of a historic slave-trading family, the project also foregrounds personal reconciliation and broader public dialogue about America’s legacy of slavery.
Organizers’ Statements
Cohen said the walk illustrates that any freedom movement requires perseverance, noting his reliance on historic maps and contemporary accounts to plot the route. The Menare Foundation highlighted its role in organizing stop-over events and educational outreach. DeWolf observed that acknowledging white participation in the Underground Railroad can help families rewrite their legacies.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Any freedom movement is about putting one foot in front of the other and going for it,” — Anthony Cohen, Historian
- “I said, 'But I'm a White guy,'” — Tom DeWolf, Descendant of a former slave-trading family
- “And he said, 'White people, White people helped.' And then he said 'You can write a new legacy for your family.'” — Tom DeWolf, Descendant of a former slave-trading family
- “And he said, 'White people, White people helped.' And then he said 'You can write a new legacy for your family.'” — Tom DeWolf, Descendant of a former slave-trading family
Conclusion and Future Outlook
Cohen will arrive in Toronto on July 4, completing the Freedom Walk as the United States observes its 250th anniversary. No further events have been announced beyond the conclusion of the trek.
