The vibrant city of Bastrop recently held a heartfelt farewell for the "Harriet Tubman: Journey to Freedom" sculpture at Kerr Community Center, with special attendance by Opal Lee, often referred to as the "Grandmother of Juneteenth," according to Community Impact. Lee, who played a pivotal role in making Juneteenth a federal holiday, graced the audience with her presence and her words at the ceremony on August 31st, just before the monument's departure to its next destination at the International African American Museum in Charleston, S.C.

Lee's commitment to civil rights and her tireless advocacy for Juneteenth were the highlights of the evening, which was emceed by community leader Dock Jackson; Jackson underscored the importance of sharing and carrying forward the history, "so that they'll know what type of history and what type of world we've lived in before their time," he explained as reported by KVUE.

Lee's initiative in 2016 to walk from Fort Worth to other cities culminated in a walking campaign for Juneteenth recognition which paid off when the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act was signed by President Joe Biden in 2021, with Lee right there in attendance, receiving high praise from the president who said, "Ms. Opal, you’re incredible," Lee, who eagerly anticipates her 98th birthday in October, has received numerous accolades such as eight honorary doctorates, the Dallas Morning News 2021 Texan of the Year, and the 2024 Presidential Medal of Freedom to name a few.

Reflecting on Harriet Tubman's courage and tenacity, Lee told the gathered audience, "If people could be taught to hate, they can be taught to love and it's up to us to do it," emphasizing the persistence needed to combat injustice and inequality still today, falling in line with the legacy of Tubman, who though she "didn't read or write and yet still she was able to navigate the, you know, the highways and byways or the backroads and things to get people all the way to freedom," Jackson highlighted in his address per KVUE.

The city of Bastrop imbued with a sense of history and recognition of the ongoing struggle for racial equality, bid adieu to the symbol of resilience and freedom that the Tubman statue represented as it journeyed on, carrying the spirit of her story and the unflagging efforts of Lee to new audiences far and wide.