TEXAS — Thursday, President Joe Biden signed a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday, creating the newest federal holiday in decades. One of the attendees at the bill signing was the Texas woman known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth” due to her efforts to make this historical event a reality.
At 94 years old, Opal Lee’s activism stems from a passion to preserve the country's history about the day enslaved African Americans in Texas learned of slavery’s abolition 2.5 years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
Juneteenth celebrates the events of June 19, 1865. Union Army Major General Gordon Granger spoke in Galveston, Texas, and issued the order declaring “all slaves are free.” Texas was the last state in the Confederacy to fall.
Now 156 years later, the date of Granger’s declaration is now a federal holiday, and according to Biden, Lee is largely responsible.
“Over the course of decades she's made it her mission to see that this day came,” said Biden at Thursday’s bill signing ceremony in the White House “She’s walked for miles and miles, literally and figuratively, to bring attention to Juneteenth.”
At the ceremony, Lee received a standing ovation at Biden’s request. Before the bill was signed, the President shared Opal's story of how a racial hate crime impacted her journey.
“As a child growing up in Texas, she and her family would celebrate Juneteenth, and Juneteenth 1939 when she was 12 years old when a white mob torched her family home, but such hate never stopped her.” said Biden.
In Fort Worth, she dedicated more than four decades to coordinating the city’s annual Juneteenth celebration. She’s the oldest living board member of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation and helped pave the way for 43 states establishing Juneteenth as a day of observance.
Tuesday, Sen Tina Smith (D-Minnesota) called with news that made Lee cry tears of joy.
“The United States Senate has passed the Juneteenth legislation to make Juneteenth a national holiday,” Smith said in a phone conversation with Lee.
Smith and Lee have met twice before during Lee’s visits to Washington D.C. when Lee delivered signatures from a Change.org petition to make Juneteenth a national holiday.
In September 2020, Lee visited the capitol and physically delivered 1.5 million signatures to congressional leaders.
“There is so much work left to do, but this is an important step,” said Smith. “I hope that this provides the momentum that we need to continue making the progress that we have to make in this country around racial justice.”
Lee says she isn’t done fighting for change. Now that her goal of seeing Juneteenth become a national holiday in her lifetime is complete, she said there are many issues she plans to continue fighting for.
“As soon as we get Juneteenth passed as a nation holiday, I’m going to work on the Voting Rights Act. I thought I'd be able to go home and sit down, but that’s going to need attention too!” Lee said in a Zoom interview Tuesday.
Lee’s mother passed away at the age of 94 and she often reminds those who love her that she won’t be here forever. When asked what she wants to be remembered for, she hopes people remember the love she aimed to share.
“I want to be remembered that I was able to help wherever I could and whenever I could. So I’ll keep on walking, I’ll keep on talking, and I’ll keep on helping people.” said Lee.
Lee invites all Texans to attend the 2nd Annual Opal’s Walk LIVE Caravan on Saturday, June 19.
The event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Fort Worth will start at Evans Avenue Plaza and end at the Tarrant County courthouse downtown.
Following the walk, Lee will be present for the 2021 Juneteenth FTW Community Festival.
The festival starts at 3 p.m. and will end at 9 p.m. wrapping up with a fireworks show. The day will include Live DJ’s and music, food trucks and vendors.
Tickets for the event are for sale starting at $20 for general admission and $45 for VIP. Children under 10 get in free and will have access to the Kids’ Zone.
Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, tents, and blankets.
Grills, coolers, or pets will not be allowed.
In an Instagram post Thursday Lee thanked everyone who has signed her petition helping to make her dream a reality.
“It feels surreal to know that our little grassroots campaign has helped pass this legislation along... Now, let’s get out on Saturday and celebrate freedom!” said Lee.
If you have an interesting story or an issue you’d like to see covered, let us know about it. Share your ideas with DFW reporter Lupe Zapata: Lupe.Zapata@Charter.com.