Clyburn To Co-Host the Faith and Politics Institute’s 2026 Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage in Charleston, South Carolina

'One Country, One Destiny: Celebrating the 250^th Anniversary of the U.S.'

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) will co-host the Faith and Politics Institute's Annual Pilgrimage in Charleston, South Carolina alongside Senator Tim Scott (R-SC). As America celebrates its 250^th Anniversary, this year's congressional pilgrimage will offer Members of Congress and leaders a powerful opportunity for reflection and growth.

This bipartisan journey invites participants to engage with Charleston's complex history and cultivate resilience for a brighter future for all Americans and towards a more perfect union. Charleston and its people have played a pivotal role in the American Revolution and the evolution of our nation's ideals. This Pilgrimage aims to illuminate these inspiring and sometimes poignant stories, fostering education among Members of Congress through a weekend filled with meaningful events and enriching programs.

In 1998, Congressman John Lewis began leading the Faith & Politics Institute's Congressional pilgrimages to Alabama to retrace his steps on the anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," which occurred on March 7, 1965. Since then, the Faith & Politics Institute has organized annual pilgrimages to Alabama and other domestic and international locations. The pilgrimages include intergenerational conversations that facilitate the sharing of wisdom among activists, changemakers, contemporary thought leaders in politics, historians, and figures from the arts.

"It is my pleasure to welcome my Congressional colleagues, partners, and community members to the 2026 Faith and Politics Institutes' Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage. As we come together in my home state of South Carolina, I am inspired by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when he intoned: 'We must keep moving. If you can't fly, run; if you can't run, walk; crawl; but by all means keep moving,'" said Congressman James E. Clyburn. "Movement defines the American story which encompasses African American history in which this state has played a pivotal and powerful role. South Carolina is inextricably linked to the struggles as well as the achievements of our great nation. As we begin this pilgrimage, let us recognize and properly honor the past, but also acknowledge the present and embrace opportunities for positive change."

"I am honored to be able to welcome all of the participants of the 2026 Faith and Freedom Pilgrimage to my hometown of Charleston, South Carolina," said Senator Tim Scott. "Charleston's history predates the founding of our nation, and it is a place where faith has anchored communities through every trial this nation has faced. Here, the American promise has been imperfectly kept but never abandoned. I believe our nation is capable of living up to her founding ideals, and I look forward to exploring that with my colleagues. We will come together not in a spirit of division, but of unity, grateful for how far we have come and committed to the values that have carried us this far."

"Hosting this bipartisan pilgrimage in Charleston is both a privilege and a responsibility," said Robert Traynham, President of the Faith & Politics Institute. "As we reflect on the theme One Country, One Destiny, we are reminded that understanding our history, especially in places as consequential as Charleston, is essential to building a more perfect union."

Additional information on the Faith and Politics 2026 pilgrimage can be found here.

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