A 22-mile journey from downtown Durham to one of the most consequential sites in American history. Preceded by a keynote from one of the South's foremost public historians.
On April 26, 1865, Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to Union General William T. Sherman at a modest farmhouse in Durham, North Carolina. It was the largest troop surrender of the American Civil War, covering nearly 90,000 soldiers across North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
Appomattox ended the symbolic war. Bennett Place ended the actual one. The freedom that Black Americans had fought, bled, and died for was secured, in large part, on this Durham soil, just 11 miles from where our riders will depart.
The Freedom Ride brings our community to that ground. On two wheels. Through Durham's streets. To stand where history turned.
"We may be cooking up something really powerful and engaging for you all... to invite riders to actively commemorate this pathway to freedom on their ride."
Kaitlin O'Connor · Site Manager, Bennett Place State Historic Site
Michelle Lanier
Keynote Speaker
Before riders depart from Major Taylor Lane, Michelle Lanier will set the stage. A folklorist, public historian, filmmaker, and oral historian rooted in what she calls "Afro-Carolina," Michelle has spent her career making the untold stories of Black Southern life visible, audible, and felt.
As Director of North Carolina Historic Sites, she oversees 27 museum spaces and historic landscapes across the state, including Bennett Place itself. She does not just interpret history. She treats land as sacred witness. She asks what stories a place holds, what has been under-told, and how to reconnect communities to those truths.
Starting a 22-mile ride to Bennett Place with Michelle's keynote is not a formality. It is the only right way to begin.
Director, NC Division of State Historic Sites — the first Black woman to hold this role, overseeing 27 historic sites including Bennett Place.
Folklorist and Public Historian — graduate of Spelman College and UNC-Chapel Hill, faculty fellow at Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies and African and African American Studies program.
Keeper of Memory — conceptualist of The Harriet Jacobs Project, creator of the African American Music Trails of Eastern NC and the Freedom Roads heritage trail.
The Freedom Ride is included with full convention registration. Secure your spot for June 4 through 7, 2026 in Durham, North Carolina, the most anticipated Major Taylor gathering in MTICA history.
Already registered? The Freedom Ride is included. No additional sign-up required.
