Where’s Walda: ‘Grandmother’ of Juneteenth
This Walda: Opal Lee, the “Grandmother” of Juneteenth. Determined to make Juneteenth a federal holiday, she embarked on a 1,400 mile journey, in 2.5 mile increments, and gathered over 1,500,000 signatures for this initiative.
Read more about her personal history and motivation to walk below.
They named her Opal.
Perhaps, from the very beginning, her parents knew that their child would be different and make a difference.
You see, Opal, in Greek (‘opallios’), means “to see a change” or “to see a change of color.” Ms. Lee has lived up to her namesake as she’s played a pivotal role in establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday.
Now, until recently, I didn’t know much about her. Maybe because my work on past trailblazers inevitably eclipses my knowledge and understanding of current torchbearers (Opal is thriving at 98). Or, because, as a white woman, I’ve never had to think about whether federal holidays centered my experiences or history. But, after the National Women’s History Museum honored Ms. Lee at their gala during Women’s History Month, I came to learn more about her, her stories, and her significant role in preserving the legacy of Juneteenth.
Ever since Opal could remember, her family celebrated Juneteenth. All around Texas, Black families would celebrate—either with lively public festivities or family gatherings.
But on that day, 86 years ago, a 12-year-old Opal watched her family’s home burn to the ground.
The Flakes—Opal, her parents, and two younger brothers—had just moved to the mostly white neighborhood in Fort Worth, Texas days before. The family wasn’t even finished unpacking when two men showed up at their front door with a clear message: “move”. These were not empty threats. In the early morning hours of Juneteenth in 1939, a mob of 500 white rioters descended on their home—breaking windows, ransacking their belongings, and setting their furniture on fire.
Opal never forgot those early morning hours, watching her family’s home burn to the ground on the day that commemorated freedom for the Black community.
Fast forward, many decades, after her retirement from Fort Worth School District. She filled her days with community work—helping, for example, to found the Tarrant County Black Historical and Genealogical Society.
It was the lack of understanding about Juneteenth that really got to her.
Kids don’t know what it means.
Adults treat it like just another day off.
The significance of June 19, 1865—when news of emancipation finally reached enslaved people in Texas, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation—was getting lost. And Opal was bound and determined to do something about it.
Opal dedicated more than four decades to keeping Juneteenth alive in Fort Worth, coordinating the city's annual celebration year after year. Through her work with the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, she helped 43 states establish Juneteenth as a day of observance. But that wasn't enough. She had her sights set on something bigger: making it a federal holiday while she was still around to see it.
So, at 89, Opal did something about it.
She decided to walk from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington D.C.
1,400 miles.
To advocate for making Juneteenth a federal holiday.
Because that’s what you do when you’re Opal Lee and something matters to you.
You walk. You don’t stop.
You don’t run from a date. You re-establish the true meaning of the date.
She reclaimed June 19th as triumph, not personal tragedy.
When she started walking, she set the goal of collecting 100,000 petition signatures. She collected more than 1,500,000.
While she didn’t complete the entire journey on foot, she did, however, walk 2.5 miles in each city along the route—symbolizing the 2.5 years it took for freedom to reach Texas. Her “Opal’s Walk 2 DC” became a movement, drawing supporters, media attention, and lawmakers to the cause.
Opal Lee at the White House for the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act Bill signing on June 21, 2021. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.
In 2021, at 94 and six years after she began walking, Opal stood beside President Biden as he signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. The first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was enacted in 1983.
The woman who watched her home burn on Juneteenth as a child helped make Juneteenth a federal holiday.
Opal Lee receives standing ovation at the White House on June 17, 2021. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
When asked about her persistence, she simply says, ‘I don’t give up easily.
She continues to walk on behalf of freedom.
Portrait of Opal Lee (2023) by Fort Worth artist Sedrick Huckaby, Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C.
Trailblazers Today
The fight for recognition and remembrance continues with historians and activists working to preserve Black historical sites and stories. Organizations like the National Trust for Historic Preservation's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund work to protect places that tell the full story of American history.
And educators like Dr. Karyn Parsons (yes, Hilary from Fresh Prince!) create resources through Sweet Blackberry to teach children about unsung Black heroes through animated films and books.
Because, like Opal knew, when people understand the history, they understand why it matters.
Inspiration to Action
Consider donating to the National Association of Black Journalists. You can direct your dollars to scholarships and fellowships that support the educational and professional development of aspiring young journalists.
Support The National Caucus & Center on Black Aging. Dedicated to improving the quality of life of older African-Americans, NCCBA's educational programs arm them with the tools they need to advocate for themselves.
Celebrate Juneteenth, on June 19th, and everyday. Because a Fourth of July without Juneteenth is an incomplete history.
Resources
Interested in reading more?
On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed - a historian's perspective on why this holiday matters.
For the young people in your life:
Juneteenth: A Children’s Story by Opal Lee.
Opal Lee and What It Means to be Free by Alice Faye Duncan.
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More soon,
Emily