AUSTIN, Texas – Opal Lee, the “grandmother of Juneteenth,” is among the inductees for the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame, Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Tuesday.
Lee, a 96-year-old activist and a former educator, has largely been credited for helping make Juneteenth a national holiday in 2021.
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Her goal was to raise awareness of the importance of Juneteenth in Texas, as the day commemorates June 19, 1865, when 2,000 Union soldiers announced the news of freedom to enslaved people in Galveston.
She started her campaign for the holiday in 2016 when she journeyed from her home in Fort Worth to Washington D.C. The Opal Walks 2 DC campaign consisted of Lee walking 2.5 miles in different cities to honor the 2.5 years it took for enslaved people in Texas to be freed after the Emancipation Proclamation.
Growing up in East Texas, her family often commemorated the day with picnics, she told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
But on June 19, 1939, when she was 12, Lee said a white neighbor destroyed their home.
“Mama and Daddy bought a house right over there,” Lee said in an interview with the newspaper. “It was a nice house. The neighbors didn’t want us... They burned that place down.”
When President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth holiday into law in 2021, Lee was one of the people standing alongside him. She was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize the following year.
This year, she received a portrait in the Senate chamber of the state Capitol. She is only the second Black woman to have her picture at the Capitol, joining the late U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordan.
In a news release, Abbott said he is recognizing Lee for her community service, advocacy and perseverance “in promoting a message of unity and understanding.”
The 2023 Texas Women’s Hall of Fame will take place on Nov. 9 in Austin.
The seven other inductees include Leta Andrews (athletics), Mary Horn (public service), Val LaMantia (business), Lavinia Masters (advocacy/community service), Antonietta Quigg (science/technology), Charlotte Sharp (philanthropy) and Elizabeth Suarez (public service).
“The Texas Women’s Hall of Fame recognizes and celebrates remarkable Texas women not only for their individual achievements but also for their contributions to building an even stronger Texas of tomorrow,” Abbott said in the release. “I am honored to welcome these accomplished women as inductees. Nominated by their fellow Texans, they have exceled in business, community service, philanthropy, public service, science, sports, and more. What unites them is the difference they have made for others. Women of vision, tenacity, and generosity, they are an inspiration for the next generation of leaders who will follow them. Cecilia and I thank these distinguished honorees for their enduring contributions to the future of this great state.”
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