Opal Lee, grandmother of Juneteenth, won’t lead annual Walk for Freedom march, granddaughter says

DALLAS — Opal Lee, known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” will not be walking in her annual Walk for Freedom event in Fort Worth. 

Dione Sims, Lee’s granddaughter, confirmed the news to WFAA Tuesday. This comes on the heels of Lee’s hospitalization in May. Sims told WFAA’s Scoop Jefferson that Lee’s doctors are concerned about her health and the forecasted heat.

This is the first time Lee will not lead the annual Juneteenth event.

“It is our plan to have Miss Opal in a safe situation as possible, but still able to enjoy the walk that she had the vision for. So, she may be present and she may not,” Sims said in a statement to WFAA. “But right now, we’re planning on not. But if she is, she’ll be in a vehicle,” Sims said.

If Lee is unable to join in person, Sims says she will join virtually.

Lee was traveling to Cincinnati, Ohio, on May 23 to be honored with the International Freedom Conductors Award. However, during the trip, she experienced a minor health issue. She was released from the hospital in early June and has been recovering at home ever since. 

Sims, the president and founder of Unity Unlimited Incorporated, will lead the 2.5-mile walk in her place. 

Opal’s Walk for Freedom, a national event rooted in Fort Worth, honors the two-and-a-half-year delay between the Emancipation Proclamation and the freedom of enslaved people in Texas. After decades of tireless advocacy, Lee saw her dream realized in 2021, when President Joe Biden officially recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday.

Lee has also been a driving force for the development of the National Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth. In a May interview with WFAA, Sims explained how the multi-use facility will impact the entire world.

“The ability for us to impact, you know, not just Fort Worth, but the nation, with the story of Emancipation, wherever it happened. I think that’s the beauty of the National Juneteenth Museum,” said Sims, who serves on the museum’s board.

Opal’s Walk for Freedom kicks off at 9 a.m. June 19 at Farrington Field in the Cultural District.