Juneteenth, which is June 19, is the day we commemorate the end of institutionalized slavery in Texas. It is a significant date in American history as well as the African American experience.
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More specifically, it is the day in 1865 where Major Gen. Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation, which was issued in January 1863. In other words, some African Americans remained enslaved two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was enacted.
Can you imagine being subjected to insults, threats, inhumane demands, cruelty, beatings, subjugation and suffering, when you could have been free? Can you imagine not being able to move about, express your opinion or even ask a question? Can you imagine living in inhabitable conditions, where disease is rampant and medical care is scarce? This was the life of Black people who were enslaved and psychologically, socially and physically imprisoned.
The recognition and adoption of Juneteenth as a national holiday was not an easy feat. Many educators, politicians, historians and activists knew about the significance of the day, but some found it too painful, embarrassing or irrelevant to address. However, there was one person in particular who demonstrated relentless patience, advocacy and faith. Her name is Opal Lee.
Opal Lee is considered the “grandmother of Juneteenth.” She is a 99-year-old retired teacher, counselor and activist. She is also the oldest living board member of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation. Her efforts in advocating for the national holiday are both admirable and courageous. For several decades, she had a consistent drumbeat – first subtly and then loudly campaigning for a federal holiday.
At age 90, she started a walking campaign from Fort Worth Texas to Washington D.C. to raise awareness about Juneteenth and the importance of making it a national holiday. She walked two and a half miles in each state to represent the two and a half years African Americans remained enslaved after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. In 2019, she led and launched an online petition, which received 1.6 million signatures to advance the campaign of awareness and advocacy. For her valiant efforts, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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There are many lessons from her advocacy and victory. We can all learn from her justice journey. These lessons include:
- You can launch a campaign at any age.
- Persistence and consistence can yield positive results.
- Stay focused on the vision and the end game.
- Passion is a currency.
- Do it because it is bigger than you.
- Do it for the people.
- Yes, you can.
- Never give up or let go.
- Keep the faith.
- Trust God.
One person, post-retirement, made a historical difference. Opal Lee brought awareness to a part of history that others would have preferred to be forgotten. She ensured that this part of history was documented, ensconced and indelibly imprinted in the museums and memories of Americans. She was an influencer before the title was conceived, before there were social media platforms. She didn’t have millions of followers. Her messages and campaigns didn’t go viral. Yet she decided she would not be a bystander but rather a movement maker. And all of America has her to thank for the important day we commemorate this week.
Juneteenth was recognized as a federal holiday under the Biden administration in 2021. Opal Lee was present during the signing. It became the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was adopted in 1983. While we acknowledge the significance of this day, let us also reflect on freedom — and when it has been (or still is) conditional, elusive and challenging.
The Juneteenth journey, although extremely challenging, is a story of exclusion and oppression. It is also a story of how African American people overcame injustices and cruelty from a cauldron of war and emerged as stronger families, a cohesive community and a culture that makes America stronger and better.
This year as we celebrate Juneteenth, let us celebrate Opal Lee for her advocacy, leadership and tenacity. Let us celebrate the freedom of all people. Let us also celebrate the opening of the Obama Presidential Center which happens in Chicago on Juneteenth.
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