Juneteenth Freedom Walk Honors Opal Lee Despite Her Hospitalization

Juneteenth Freedom Walk Honors Opal Lee

• 🚶‍♀️ Hundreds participated in Fort Worth's Walk For Freedom to celebrate Juneteenth, honoring Opal Lee, the "grandmother of Juneteenth."
• 🏥 Despite Opal Lee's absence due to hospitalization after a brief illness, attendees vowed to carry on her legacy.
• 🌟 Lee, 90, was unable to attend this year's event, which she initiated after walking from Fort Worth to Washington D.C. to advocate for Juneteenth as a national holiday.

Significance of the Walk

• 🗓️ The annual 2.5-mile walk symbolizes the two and a half years it took for enslaved African-Americans to learn of their freedom after June 19th, 1865.
• 🤝 Lee's granddaughter stepped in to lead this year's walk, acknowledging the significant responsibility of continuing Lee's work.
• 📣 Participants included the Mavericks basketball drum line, TCU athletes, and various organizations, all showing support for the Juneteenth celebration and Opal Lee.

Community Support and Event Conclusion

• 💧 Kroger employees provided free bottled water to help attendees cope with the heat, embodying the community spirit that Opal Lee exemplifies.
• 🏟️ The walk concluded at Fington Field, featuring live entertainment and vendors, with messages of support for Opal Lee.
• 🇺🇸 The event also touched upon the historical significance of Juneteenth, marking the day Union General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 in Galveston in 1865, officially announcing the end of slavery.
• 📺 WFAA has compiled special content on Juneteenth, including its evolution and the National Juneteenth Museum, available on WFAA Plus.