RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The Rev. Dr. Robert Turner began a 40-mile march for justice at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday in Warren County, calling the journey to the State Capitol in Raleigh both symbolic and necessary.
By midday, Turner had already covered about 20 miles, walking along U.S. 1 through Youngsville and toward Wake Forest, holding a sign that reads “Reparations Now.”
“I’m cold. My feet are exhausted. I’ve been up since 3 o’clock,” he said during a brief stop.
Around 9:30 p.m., Turner reached his destination in Raleigh.
The Rev. Robert Turner reaches the end of a 40-mile march from Warren County to the State Capitol in Raleigh on Tuesday night.
Turner said each step is intentional, rooted in a long history of injustice.
“What happened here in 1982 was never repaired for. What happened in 1619 is still not repaired. What happened during Jim Crow is still not repaired,” he said.
The 42-year-old Baltimore pastor acknowledged that he did not train for the grueling distance, but said adrenaline and a deep sense of purpose are carrying him forward. He began the march at a historic marker commemorating the 1982 PCB protests, when Black residents in Warren County opposed the state’s decision to place a toxic waste landfill in their community. The landfill was ultimately built, contaminating the area and helping spark what is widely recognized as the environmental justice movement.
Turner argued that the effects are still being felt.
“There’s a lack of health care, lack of transportation to get to jobs, and continued disinvestment in rural Black communities,” he said. “It’s not too late to make it right.”
Turner has made similar symbolic marches before, including multiple 40-mile walks from Baltimore to the White House, echoing the unfulfilled promise of “40 acres and a mule” issued at the end of the Civil War by Union General William T. Sherman.
He was not entirely alone on this journey. Raleigh pastor the Rev. Larry McDonald of St. Paul AME Church walked alongside him for part of the route, while others, including Associate Minister Bill Kearney, followed in cars to provide support and raise awareness.
“My role has been to meet him, support him along the walk, and help people understand what’s happening today,” Kearney said.
Turner said the response from the public has been unexpectedly positive. Drivers have honked in support, and some have even stopped to check on him.
“A White gentleman pulled over to see if I needed a ride. A police officer did the same,” Turner said. “I was pleasantly surprised because I’ve experienced the worst. I thought I was going to get the worst,” he said.
Turner, a mentee of civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, said that he is continuing that legacy following Jackson’s recent death.
“My heart still aches for the family, but his work will never die as long as I’m alive,” Turner said. “I will continue to advocate in his memory.”
Turner said the march was part of a broader effort to raise awareness nationwide, with plans to continue into Virginia next month.
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