We Run because They Walked

The Active Witness Challenge is a virtual commemoration of the 1965 March to Selma. We invite participants to walk, run, bike, swim or make an active donation. The 1965 March on Selma was successful because participants made a public activation of their faith. Whether they stayed back to provide meals and prayer or they marched mile after mile, the success of the March on Selma can be attributed to a community effort. During the entire month of March invite you to be a part of a community looking to continue this holy legacy. 

At The Witness Inc., we continue this witness through our podcast suite, articles, and signature Fellowship Program through The Witness Foundation. Our goal for this event is to have 1,000 participants. We invite you to take the challenge today!

Registrations are now open.

How to Participate

  • Step 1. Register

    Registration for the 2025 Active Witness Challenge is closed. A new link will be provided when the challenge is open again for registration.

    Registration Closed

  • Step 2. Invite Someone

    Most people want to make a difference and get healthy this year. Here is your opportunity to help them do both. Invite your friends, family, church, and place of employment to participate. To create a team, click the button right below the registration section.

    Registration Closed

  • Step 3. Share Your Progress

    Track your results and share your daily progress with your personal network and with us using social media by using the hashtags #ActiveWitnessChallenge and #WeRunbecauseTheyWalked and tag @thewitnessbcc on Instagram, Tik Tok and/or Facebook.

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Partnership Opportunities

The success of the March on Selma can be attributed to a community effort. The Active Witness Witness challenge is open to corporate and church partnerships. We invite your organization to join us as we walk, run, bike, swim, or donate to commemorate the 1965 March on Selma.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The Witness Inc. exists to make sure Black Christians are equipped to flourish. We accomplish this through education and philanthropic endeavors to meet the modern challenges of Black Christians today. Our mission is to empower Black Christian leaders and organizations to proclaim and embody God's historical, social, and biblical faithfulness within the Black community in the United States through the creation of credible content on our multi-media platform (BCC) and the provision of financial resources (TWF).

  • In 1965, civil rights activists marched 54 miles from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, to support the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Active Witness Challenge commemorates this passage as a means to celebrate the success of our ancestors and the passing of the torch to those advancing justice today.

    The protest to support voting rights for African Americans had taken the form of a 87-kilometer (54-mile) walk between the Alabama town of Selma and the capital, Montgomery.

  • Wherever you are! The Active Witness Challenge takes place virtually around the country and it can be done as a "virtual race" where participants get their race kit in the mail or through participating churches. Beginning March, you can join Christians across the country right from your own front door, in your neighborhood or on a treadmill—you can get creative! Visit our corporate partnerships page for more information about leading an Active Witness Challenge team for your ministry.

  • This is your opportunity to invite your family and friends from across the world to join you in sharing our mission to advance justice and equip Black Christians to flourish. Tag them on social media, give them a call, or send them an email with the link to donate and/or participate. Let’s celebrate the impact of the past and your contribution by sharing a picture with the hashtags #Activewitnesschallenge #Werunbecausetheywalked #BeAWitness

  • Yes! Courageous children participated in non-violent marches along U.S. Route 80 in March of 1965. We want families and children to participate in this event. Children of all ages can register as a participant to run or walk the 54-mile distance or even just a stretch. Plus, kids 18 years and younger get to register for $25!

  • You can register all the way up to (and on) race day!

  • Keeping your time is up to you! We won't be collecting times, but you can share photos from your day on social media using the hashtag #activewitnesschallenge #werunbecausetheywalked

  • You can use a website like Map My Run to plan your route ahead of time. If you have an iPhone, the Apple Health app can help keep track of your 54 miles.

  • Send us an email at Daniellew@thewitnessfoundation.co and we'll get you a new one!