Civil rights activist Opal Lee to be in Texarkana Saturday
TEXARKANA, Texas — Civil rights activist Opal Lee, the 95-year-old “grandmother of Juneteenth,” will visit Texarkana on Saturday.
Lee will be guest speaker at the 27th annual Tribute to African American Women Awards Banquet presented by Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., Beta Tau Sigma Chapter, and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., Gamma Kappa Zeta Chapter.
Lee is an American retired teacher, counselor and activist in the movement to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday. On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed Senate Bill S. 475, making Juneteenth the 11th federal holiday.
“She received the Presidential Freedom Award from former President Barack Obama, and then of course she was there with President Joe Biden when he signed the Juneteenth holiday into law, so she is a fundamental woman,” spokesperson JoAnn Rice said.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is a civilian award for meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, and cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. “Her picture will be up at the Capitol, and she’s only the second African American woman to have her picture placed there,” Rice said.
Banquet award honorees will be Victoria Davis, the Arizona Cleaver Stemons Award; Dr. LaShundra Watson, the Pearl Anna Neal Award; Sighle Blackwell, the Myrtle Tyler Faithful Award; Tonya Strong-Weatherall, the Viola Tyler Goings Award; Stephanie Nelson, the Fannie Pettie Watts Award; and Linda Henderson, the Dr.Lullelia