Opal Lee, affectionately known as the "Grandmother of Juneteenth," spent her weekend making rounds across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, engaging with communities during Black History Month. Speaking to a full house in Burleson City Council this Saturday, Lee shared her children's book "Juneteenth: A Children's Story" and emphasized the importance of unity in progressing toward equality. "We want people to understand that we can get so much more done together than we are doing apart," Lee told attendees, as reported by FOX 4 News.
The 97-year-old activist, who walked from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C. to advocate for Juneteenth's national holiday status, continues to push forward her message. "If people can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love," she said, emphasizing the slow but necessary work of changing hearts and minds. In a bid to create more awareness, Opal Lee also graced an event in Arlington as a keynote speaker on Friday, per FOX 4 News.
St. Luke "Community" United Methodist Church in Dallas hosted Lee on Sunday for their Senior Saints of Wisdom Sunday—a part of their Black History Month celebration that honors historic African American figures. Lee, with her trademark wit and humor, touched on her journey and pivotal moments in civil rights history, enchanting the congregation. "I just decided, me walking in my little tennis shoes from here to Washington, somebody would take notice," she recounted in an interview quoted by The Dallas Morning News.
Lending her voice to ongoing efforts, Lee is now focused on seeing the National Juneteenth Museum, her brainchild, come to life in Fort Worth. She stressed that the museum is a national treasure, not bound to one race or state. "It ain’t no Black museum, it’s not a Texas museum, it’s a national museum," she explained. In her dialogue with youth, Lee made sure to underscore the urgency of activism at any age, particularly highlighting climate change, as per FOX 4 News.
Senior Pastor Richie Butler of St. Luke's also weighed in on the significance of Lee's presence, dubbing her "a living legend." Her actions have drawn significant attention to Juneteenth and the broader struggle for equality. Amidst political climates that seem earnest to limit the teaching of racial history, Butler proclaimed, "We remain persistent and committed that we have to tell the story," iterating the church's dedication to keeping Black history alive and respected.
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