Opal Lee helped make Juneteenth a holiday. Her message for all of usJames S. Bridgeforth |
Opal Lee, the "Grandmother of Juneteenth," helped make it a federal holiday and remains hopeful about America's future.
Juneteenth is not just a Black holiday but an American story about the ongoing struggle for freedom and liberty.
The holiday highlights that freedom extends to modern issues like economic opportunity, health care, and education for all Americans.
Several months ago, I had the privilege of sitting down with Opal Lee.
Most Americans know her as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.” At 98 years old, she helped lead the movement that ultimately persuaded Congress and President Joe Biden to recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday. What many people may not realize is that after nearly a century of life, she remains remarkably hopeful about America.
Opal Lee’s enduring faith in America
After all, Opal Lee has lived through segregation, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights Movement, the assassinations of national leaders and some of the most divisive chapters in our nation’s history. She has seen America at its best and worst.
Yet when I asked her about the future, she did not talk about bitterness.
She talked about freedom.
Why Juneteenth is the story of America
As Juneteenth approaches, I find myself thinking about that conversation and about what this holiday really means.
For many Americans, Juneteenth is viewed as a Black holiday. It commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas,........