Opal Lee, affectionately known as “The Grandmother of Juneteenth,” will be unable to participate in this year’s Walk for Freedom event due to recent hospitalization. This marks the first time since the march began in 2016 that the 98-year-old has missed the event.
Lee was hospitalized while traveling to receive the International Freedom Conductor Award in Ohio in May, returning home recently. Her granddaughter, Dione Sims, expressed concerns for Lee’s health, noting, “She’s 98 and the family really wants to keep her in.”
Although Lee may not march, her family expressed hopes for her to still experience the event, stating that she might be present safely in a vehicle or, if unable to attend, participate virtually. Lee previously shared her gratitude for the support she received from well-wishers after her hospitalization, emphasizing the appreciation for their concern.
Dione Sims, who is the president and founder of Unity Unlimited Incorporated and a key member of the National Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth that Lee helped establish, will now lead the 2.5-mile walk in her grandmother’s stead. The event, which begins at 9 a.m. local time at Farrington Field in the Cultural District, holds special significance this year as it marks the 160th anniversary of Juneteenth.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day when some of the last enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom, even after the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued nearly two and a half years prior. The unification of the community during this celebration is a testament to the enduring legacy and impact of Emancipation, a focus that the National Juneteenth Museum aims to highlight.
This year, while missing her physical presence, the spirit of Opal Lee will undoubtedly echo through the celebration she has inspired.