On this day in 1996, in response to state-wide welfare cuts, poor Philadelphians, organized through the Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU), began a 140-mile march from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania.

On May 16th, 1996, Governor Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania signed a series of welfare reforms into law, including cuts to medical assistance, a requirement that childless people between ages 21 and 58 work 100 hours a month to receive medical assistance benefits, and a condition that anyone making more than $5100 a year did not qualify for medical assistance. When implemented, this legislation would cut 250,000 people off of medical assistance.

In response to this, on August 25th, 1996, Philadelphians living in poverty and homelessness organized through the Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU) began a 140-mile march from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania. On August 31st, they arrived and occupied the front lawn of the Pennsylvania Capitol building, holding a rally there the next day.

In late September, a federal judge ordered the protesters to leave, however they defied the order, staying until they were forcibly removed by the police on October 3rd. Although the activists were able to speak with Governor Ridge, they were not successful in reversing the welfare reforms.

The KWRU continued to organize protests, holding that economic rights and the right to housing, education, food, and a living wage are human rights.