Tag Archives: ‘grandmother of Juneteenth

WASHINGTON — North Texas civil rights icon Opal Lee was nearly speechless Monday after learning that 33 members of Congress, including more than a dozen Texans, signed a letter nominating the “grandmother of Juneteenth” for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. “I’ve heard rumors, but it never occurred to me that it would actually happen. … I don’t know what to …

The sun bearing down, 94-year-old Opal Lee pushed forward. Around her, friends and strangers screamed and waved. Television crews and photographers scrambled to capture every step. Supporters chanted her name. Wearing faded black tennis shoes and red track pants, Lee walked 2½ miles on Saturday, leading a crowd of hundreds through Fort Worth on her annual trek to draw attention …