Philly 'Walking Artist' visits the gravesites of Tubman and Douglass

Since we last caught up with Ken Johnston, the Philadelphia “walking artist” currently on a 450-mile trek from New York to Canada to honor Harriet Tubman’s 200th birthday, he has visited Auburn, N.Y., where Tubman is buried.

He also made it to Rochester, on Aug. 29, where Frederick Douglass, the abolitionist, author and speaker, once lived and is buried.

Johnston, 61, who lives in the Cobbs Creek area in Philadelphia, began this trip in Harlem, N.Y., on July 14, with a goal of walking to St. Catharines, Ontario, in Canada, where Tubman lived before the start of the Civil War.

Johnston has recorded his trips through blog posts, videos and photos on his “Our Walk to Freedom” blog. He also has a Facebook page.

He made it to Auburn on Aug. 9. Tubman lived the last 54 years of her life in Auburn, where her home is now a National Historic Park.


Once he reaches Buffalo, he will be only 20 miles from Niagara Falls and the Canadian border, and St. Catharines will be another 20 miles from there.


Blog: https://ourwalktofreedom.com/author/ken-johnston/

Arrival in Buffalo, NY News Story: https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/walking-the-steps-to-freedom-through-buffalo-on-the-underground-railroad-history-wny-black-history/71-a0ea3bb9-1834-494f-9253-e0800f864fb9