Opal Lee, born in Marshall, Texas, in 1926, is an educator and community activist who used her elder years to spark a national movement. She is known and beloved across the country by the title “The Grandmother of Juneteenth,” thanks to her persistent efforts to make the commemoration of the final liberation of enslaved people in America a federal holiday.
💔 A Scarred History: Personal Trauma Tied to Freedom Day
Opal Lee’s journey for justice originates from a deeply traumatic and symbolic experience.
In 1939, when Opal Lee was 12, her family moved into a predominantly white neighborhood in Fort Worth, Texas. Just four days after they settled in, a mob of approximately 500 white people surrounded their home.
This terrifying event took place on June 19th—the very day African Americans in Texas celebrated Juneteenth. The mob vandalized the house, dragged the family’s possessions outside, and then burned their furniture.
Lee and her family were physically unharmed, but the emotional trauma inextricably linked the day of emancipation with memories of hatred and racial violence. Instead of letting that memory breed bitterness, she transformed it into a lifelong commitment to action.
🎓 A Life of Dedication: From Education to Community Mission
Before becoming a national icon, Opal Lee had an admirable career of community service:
- Education: After earning her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in counseling, she worked for years as a teacher and home-school counselor. In this role, she went beyond teaching, often performing social work to provide shoes, clothing, and food to help underprivileged students stay in school.
- Social Activism: After retiring in 1977, her humanitarian work continued. She helped co-found the Tarrant County Black Historical and Genealogical Society and ran a local food bank. She even started Opal’s Farm, a three-acre urban farm, to provide fresh produce to the food bank and offer employment to formerly incarcerated individuals.
👣 The Historic Walk: 2.5 Miles for Freedom
Nearing her 90s, Opal Lee realized that not all Americans knew about Juneteenth. She decided to act and make it a federal holiday.
In 2016, at the age of 89, she began a symbolic walking campaign from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C. Although the actual distance was over 1,400 miles, she staged annual walks, traveling 2.5 miles in each city she visited.
- The Symbolism: The 2.5 miles represented the two-and-a-half-year delay that enslaved people in Texas endured before receiving the news of their freedom (from the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 to June 19, 1865).
- The Result: Through her perseverance and unwavering faith, she collected approximately 1.6 million signatures for her petition.
Her dedication resonated across the nation. Finally, in June 2021, just a day after her 94th birthday, President Joe Biden signed the bill officially declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday. Opal Lee was an honored guest at the White House, witnessing the crowning achievement of her life.
🏡 A Full Circle Moment: Returning to the Beginning
Most recently, Opal Lee’s story reached a deeply meaningful “full circle moment.”
85 years after her family’s home was destroyed and burned by a mob, in June 2024, Opal Lee, at age 97, was given the keys to a new home, built by community organizations on the exact historic plot of land in Fort Worth. It stands as a powerful testament to restoration, the triumph of hope over hatred, and the community’s recognition of her service.
Opal Lee continues her community work through Opal’s Farm and is raising funds for the National Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth, continuing to inspire everyone to fight for freedom and equality.
