Opal Lee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Opal Lee
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Lee in 2021
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| Born | October 7, 1926 Marshall, Texas, U.S.
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| Education | Wiley College (BA), North Texas State University (MA) |
| Occupation | Activist Counselor |
| Known for | "Grandmother of Juneteenth" |
Opal Lee (born October 7, 1926) is an American teacher, counselor, and activist. She is famous for her efforts to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday. Many people call her the "grandmother of Juneteenth."
On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed a law making Juneteenth the eleventh federal holiday. In 2024, President Biden gave Lee the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the highest award a civilian can receive in the United States.
Early Life
Opal Lee was born in Marshall, Texas on October 7, 1926. She was the oldest of three children. Her great-grandmother was born into slavery.
When she was 10, her family moved to Fort Worth, Texas. They later moved to an area called Terrell Heights.
In June 1939, her parents bought a house on East Annie Street. This area was mostly white at the time. On June 19, 1939, about 500 white rioters damaged and burned their home. Opal Lee was twelve years old. She later said that this event, happening on June 19th, made her want people to understand Juneteenth better. She wanted them to know it was more than just a celebration.
Opal Lee went to I.M. Terrell High School. This was Fort Worth's first high school for Black students. She graduated in 1943 when she was 16. She married and had four children.
Professional Career
In 1952, Lee graduated from Wiley College in Marshall, Texas. She earned a Bachelor's degree in elementary education. She taught at Amanda McCoy Elementary School for 15 years. She also worked nights at Convair to support her children. In 1967, she married Dale Lee.
Later, Lee went to North Texas State University (now University of North Texas). She earned her master's degree in Counseling and Guidance.
After getting her master's degree, Lee returned to Fort Worth. She worked as an educator for the Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD) for fifteen years. She was also a home school counselor for nine years. She retired in 1977. She was part of several community boards. These included the Fort Worth-Tarrant County Community Action Agency. She is also a member of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority. In May 2023, Lee received an honorary doctorate from the University of North Texas. In May 2024, she received another honorary doctorate from Southern Methodist University.
Activism for Juneteenth
After retiring from teaching in 1976, Lee became very active in her community. She helped start the Tarrant County Black Historical and Genealogical Society. She also helped organize Fort Worth's yearly Juneteenth celebration.
Lee worked for decades to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. She promoted the idea by leading 2.5 miles (4.0 km) walks each year. These walks represented the 2.5 years it took for the news of the Emancipation Proclamation to reach Texas. When she was 89, she walked from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C. She started in September 2016 and arrived in January 2017. She hoped to talk to President Barack Obama about the holiday. Lee marched in many cities across the U.S. She also started a petition on Change.org for a Juneteenth federal holiday. This petition received 1.6 million signatures. She often said, "It's going to be a national holiday, I have no doubt about it. My point is let's make it a holiday in my lifetime."
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In June 2021, at age 94, her hard work paid off. Congress passed a bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. President Joe Biden signed it into law. Lee was a special guest at the signing ceremony. She received one of the pens President Biden used to sign the document. She received a standing ovation, and President Biden knelt to greet her.
Lee is also a founding board member of Transform 1012 N. Main Street. This group wants to turn a former auditorium with a difficult past into the Fred Rouse Center and Museum for Arts and Community Healing. Fred Rouse, a Black man, was a victim of a mob in Fort Worth in 1921. The group formed in 2019 and bought the building in January 2022.
In 2021, The Dallas Morning News named Lee "Texan of the Year" for her activism. She was also recognized in the 2021 book Unsung Heroes. This was for her work operating a food bank, farm, and community garden during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, President Joe Biden awarded Lee the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
See also
In Spanish: Opal Lee para niños
