39th annual Parade of Lights held in Fort Worth

Opal Lee leads Parade of Lights as Grand Marshal

Lee said she was overjoyed and humbled when the city of Fort Worth reached out to her to be the grand marshal.

FORT WORTH, Texas - North Texans of all ages flocked to Fort Worth’s 39th annual GM Financial Parade of Lights Sunday evening.

"We are going to have a great night," Marion Mccollum said.

Some waited hours to watch 100 floats and half a million lights make their way through the historic downtown.

Also making history Sunday night, on her 40-foot float, was Ms. Opal Lee, also known as the grandmother of Juneteenth.

Lee led the caravan of lights, recognized as grand marshal of the parade.

She said she was overjoyed and humbled when the city of Fort Worth reached out to her to be the grand marshal.

She’s been going to the parade for years.

"Important that I was chosen," she said.

This summer, the lifelong Texan and civil rights activist stood next to President Joe Biden as Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday.

For years, Lee campaigned for this moment.

"I never dreamed it would happen in my lifetime and I am overwhelmed," she said.

The retired teacher and counselor calls North Texas home, but right now, she’s in the middle of her 100-city tour called Change is Possible, along with criminal justice reform advocate Dr. Belay Reddick.

"We want to encourage people to never give up, even in their older years, even in their ripe years," Reddick said.

It’s a simple message both Lee and Reddick hope the 100,000 in attendance saw Sunday evening.