While watching the signing ceremony making Juneteenth a federal holiday, some may think that the path to victory was easy. Yet we know that nothing has come easy for us in this country. Black achievement has never come without a struggle So young people not only need to hear the history of slavery and Juneteenth but how it became a federal holiday. This is the story of Opal Lee and others whose resolve and determination have made this federal holiday a reality. Opal Lee is considered to be "The Grandmother of Juneteenth." Through her consistent effort And determination, we now have a new national holiday.
Her story like many African-Americans is triumph over adversity. As a young child she celebrated Juneteenth with her family. However, in 1939 the day which should have been a day of joy and celebration for her family became a day of tragedy. Her family had just bought a new house in Fort Worth, Texas but instead of enjoying this milestone, she was forced to watch as a mob of white supremacists vandalized and set fire to her family's home. Helplessly, she and her family watched their home burn to the ground as police stood by, doing nothing to stop the violence. The trauma of that day stayed with her throughout her life. She has said that the trauma of this family experience inspired her desire to make this a holiday. She explained it this way"the fact that it happened on the 19th day of June has spurred me to make people understand that Juneteenth is not just a festival"
Her family lost everything that day but it did not stop them from rebuilding their home, She went on to get her masters degree and worked as a teacher and counselor for many years. Following her retirement from teaching in 1976, she became an activist involved in Fort Worth community causes. She helped found the Tarrant County Black historical and genealogical Society. She organized the Fort Worth annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, Black History Month and Juneteenth celebration. During the 1980s, she started a tradition of bringing Fort Worth city leaders on an annual bus tour through economically depressed areas of Fort Worth, pointing out landmarks important to the cities' minority communities.
For decades she campaigned to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. She promoted the idea by leading 2.5 mile walks each year in over ten cities, representing the 2.5 years it took for news of the emancipation proclamation to reach Texas. At the age of 89, she went to Washington DC to petition for making Juneteenth a federal holiday. She even promoted a petition to change.org. Finally this June 2021, at the age of 94, her dream was finally realized when Congress passed a bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday and President Biden signed it into law. She was an honored guest at the bill signing ceremony and sat in the front row receiving a standing ovation. Both President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris praised and acknowledged her many years of activism. This year for the first time she was able to celebrate Juneteenth as a national holiday and make her 2.5 miles walk as a victory walk.
She acknowledges that this is only a symbolic step towards solving the racial divide but now young people will learn the history of slavery and the story of Juneteenth. Holidays can bring us together as a family and a community, open up discussions, and energize us to continue to fight for justice. Manifesting black joy it's also a very important part of our survival and resilience.
No comments:
Post a Comment