Walking more than 300 miles in less than three weeks, a group of Quakers retraced the route from New York City to Washington, D.C., this May in a modern-day act of protest. The march, held from May 4 to May 22, was intended as a show of solidarity with migrants and other groups targeted by the Trump administration’s policies. Along the way, participants carried a copy of the Flushing Remonstrance, a 17th-century petition for religious freedom, which they planned to deliver to Congress as a reminder that “all are welcome.”
For marchers like Jess Hobbs Pifer, the grueling distance was part of the message.
“We’re physically covering the distance between the government’s stated values and the decisions it’s actually making,” Pifer said. “We want people to hear the sound of our footsteps.”
The march is the latest example of Quaker activism in Washington, a longtime hub of protest and organizing that continues to shape public policy.
That tradition has often centered on the Quaker commitment to peace, with many wartime protests staged in Washington and at the Pentagon, including an anti-war demonstration led by Quakers outside Fort Detrick in Frederick, Maryland. The protest was led by an interfaith organization, the Fellowship for the Reconciliation (FOR), as a way to promote peace and justice.
Named the Appeal and Vigil at Fort Detrick, the protest targeted the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, which was using the building to test weapons that would be used in violation of the Quaker principle of peace. Protesters formed a silent witness against the creation of biological agents that the U.S. was using in warfare.
The protest began on July 1, 1959 and was originally meant to last five days. It ultimately lasted almost two years and concluded on March 30, 1961. Fort Detrick was later transformed into a cancer research center in 1971, achieving one of the goals of the Appeal and Vigil.
Following the Appeal and Vigil, many members, including Larry Scott, went on to form the Peace Action Center in Washington. The Peace Action Center turned into the Washington Peace Center as it became a more official organization. The Peace Center served as a way to uphold the Quaker principle of community, giving Washington residents resources that the government did not directly control.
In order to educate the Washington public through a local source, the Peace Center held discussions on current events, film screenings and published a reliable local newspaper. During the Vietnam War, the Peace Center served as a source of information and counseling for the local community, providing guidance on the draft and other aspects of military service.
Today, one of the central goals of the Peace Center continues to be advocating for and achieving statehood for Washington, which it views as an issue of equity.
The Peace Center currently upholds that the issues surrounding Washington are “[some] of the deepest ironies of the United States’ democratic system,” noting that residents of Washington are “denied basic political rights” that are afforded to other citizens.
Despite all their wishes not being met, the Peace Center also acknowledges that Washington has gained more autonomy over time. The first Presidential election in which Washington residents could vote was in 1964, following the activism that led to the passage of the 23rd Amendment, which the Peace Center played a significant part in.
One of the Peace Center’s central goals is to achieve equality for Washington residents by advocating for D.C. statehood. The district still lacks recognition as a state, and the center urges visitors to bring this issue to the attention of their elected representatives.
Despite this political status, Quaker organizations in Washington continue to lobby for change. One of the largest organizations is the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), founded in 1943, which works with lobbyists and grassroots activists to advance policies rooted in Quaker values.
In 2015, FCNL helped build support for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the nuclear agreement with Iran designed to limit the country’s nuclear capabilities. By working with advocates, faith groups, and nuclear experts, the organization secured backing from 42 senators, framing the deal as a way to uphold the Quaker commitment to peace in the Middle East.
Looking ahead, FCNL has outlined a four-year plan to build “a future that is fundamentally different from the present.” The strategy centers on sustaining the Quaker belief in “the inherent dignity and worth of each person,” which guides them.
