Cue the confetti and cake! Opal Lee, Fort Worth’s “Grandmother of Juneteenth” turns 99 years young today.
Lee’s circle of influence ripples far and wide. Born Oct. 7, 1926, in Marshall, Texas, she was the eldest of three children born to Mattie (Broadus) and Otis Flake. The family moved to Fort Worth when Lee was 10, eventually purchasing a house on East Annie Street.
On June 19, 1939, just days after moving in, a mob of around 500 white rioters vandalized and burned down their home. Lee was approximately 12 years old at the time of the fire. That tragic event marked the start of Lee’s lifelong activism and fight to keep the memory of Juneteenth alive.
She has spent many decades ensuring that Juneteenth remain etched in society’s collective conscience. Her relentless efforts to make June 19 a federal holiday stand as her most notable and enduring achievement. That law was signed in 2021, and Lee attended the signing.
Steadfast in her commitment to memorializing Juneteenth, beginning in 2016 at age 89, Lee began her annual “Walks for Freedom” on June 19. Since that initial event, Lee’s 2.5-mile treks have continued in Fort Worth, with people across the country joining in their own cities to amplify their voices and show support.
Besides receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2024, Lee also has served in several volunteer leadership and service roles, including Citizens Concerned with Human Dignity, Habitat for Humanity, Tarrant County Black Historical & Genealogical Society and the Community Food Bank.
