‘Grandmother of Juneteenth’ honored

Opal Lee, known as the “grandmother of Juneteenth,” was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, White House officials announced.

Lee, 97, is among 19 recipients of the honor the White House said is presented to people who have made “exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.”

President Joe Biden presented the awards at the White House on Friday.

“These nineteen Americans built teams, coalitions, movements, organizations, and businesses that shaped America for the better,” officials wrote in a news release. “They are the pinnacle of leadership in their fields. They consistently demonstrated over their careers the power of community, hard work, and service.”

Years of work

Lee dedicated years of her life to fighting for Juneteenth to be recognized as a federal holiday.

In 2016, at 89 years old, she marched from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C., to rally for the designation. The 1,400-mile trek was a series of 2.5-mile marches that represented the 2½ years it took for the news of emancipation to reach the last remaining enslaved people in Galveston.

Lee accomplished her goal in 2021, earning the title “Grandmother of Juneteenth.” That year, she was also named The Dallas Morning News’ Texan of the Year.

Lee has remained steadfast in her activism. Each Juneteenth since, she has led a 2.5-mile “Walk of Freedom” through Fort Worth’s historic Southside neighborhood. She is also working on a $70 million National Juneteenth Museum, which is currently scheduled to open in Fort Worth in 2026.