Opal Lee, grandmother of Juneteenth, takes part in Black History Month events
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Community celebrates Opal Lee's 97th birthday
The so-called Grandmother of Juneteenth is turning 97 years old on Saturday. Fort Worth community leaders, politicians, and even some celebrities gave her special birthday shoutouts Friday morning. And more events are planned over the weekend.
The Grandmother of Juneteenth, Opal Lee, spent her weekend speaking at Black History Month events across the DFW area.
On Saturday, the Fort Worth native joined the Burleson City Council to celebrate Black History Month.
The activist read her children's book, "Juneteenth: A Children's Story," and then led one-on-one discussions with attendees.
She spoke on how important Black History Month is, but also mentioned more work needs to be done together.
"We want people to understand that we can get so much more done together than we are doing apart," Lee said. "We know people who are not on the same page we are on, so change their minds. It’s not going to happen in a day, we’re going to have to work at it. But if people can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love."
Lee was also a keynote speaker for an event in Arlington on Friday.
The activist played a pivotal role in the historic recognition of Juneteenth, which was signed into a federal holiday by President Joe Biden in 2021.
On Sunday, the civil rights icon was in Dallas to attend a special Sunday service at the St. Luke Community United Methodist Church.
Church-goers enjoyed a 25-minute interview between Lee and the church's pastor, and she shared her story with the congregation.