In its inaugural year, Martyrs Day, a new national day of remembrance honoring American protesters and activists whose lives were lost in the ongoing struggle for civil rights, justice and equality in the United States, will be recognized nationwide on July 5, 2026.
Cities planning events on July 5th to commemorate the inaugural Martyrs Day include:
- New York City, New York
- Hyattsville, Maryland
- San Francisco, California
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (virtual)
- Lewes, Delaware
As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, cities nationwide observe Martyrs Day, after Independence Day, in remembrance of the slain activists within this nation, and other slain Americans whose untimely deaths led to positive social change.
The Martyrs Day movement, led by professor, author and legal historian Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, will host a national observance at the historic Riverside Church in New York City at 2 p.m. The event, titled “Martyrs, Memory, and Recommitment,” will feature a panel discussion, ceremony, musical performances, book signings and reception. The program will be available both in person and via livestream.
“It must be known that our freedoms came through centuries of struggle and protest, with some losing their lives in that struggle,” said Browne-Marshall. “Our American martyrs deserve a day of remembrance and our renewed commitment to continuing the work they began and symbolize.”
At the historic John Brown Farm State Historic Site in Lake Placid, New York, participants will gather for two days to commemorate the abolitionist John Brown and those who lost their lives with him to reflect on the enduring legacy of the sacrifices made in pursuit of freedom and justice for the enslaved.
In Hyattsville, Maryland, Shattered Ceilings will host a gathering at Busboys and Poets at 5 p.m. focused on reflection, intentional dialogue and community engagement. The event will encourage participants to recommit collectively to the ongoing work of advocacy and social justice.
In San Francisco, nonprofit organization A Meal with Dignity and the San Francisco Organizing Committee will host a Martyrs Day observance honoring activists connected to the slain workers of the 1934 labor strike and the late Harvey Milk, California’s first openly gay elected official.
Philadelphia’s observance, organized by the PhilaMontco Branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) and 1838 Black Metropolis, will honor voting martyrs Octavius Catto, Jacob Gordon, Moses Wright, Levi Bolden and Isaac Chase who were killed during Philadelphia’s Election Day Massacre of 1871. The event will include a voter registration drive, linking historical remembrance with civic participation.
In Pittsburgh, the Dr. Edna B. McKenzie Branch of ASALH, in partnership with the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society and the National Council of Negro Women Greater Pittsburgh Chapter, will host a virtual program titled “Our History Is the Future.” The online event begins at 4 p.m. and will explore the significance of remembering those whose sacrifices shaped American history.
In Lewes, Delaware, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church will observe Martyrs Day during its 8 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. worship services. The observance will include a reading of the names of individuals recognized on the Martyrs Day memorial list, including voting rights activist Jonathan Myrick Daniels, who was gunned down in Selma.
Cities, communities, faith-based institutions, artists, organizations and families nationwide are invited to host events honoring slain voting rights martyrs of any era whose sacrifices and contributions helped advance equality, social justice and civil rights.
“Martyrs Day promotes education, historical memory and civic engagement,” said Browne-Marshall. “I want to encourage more communities to join us as we honor the legacy of those Americans who helped move our nation closer to its ideals of liberty and justice for all.”
Learn more about Martyrs Day and upcoming events at www.MartyrsDay.us.