Fort Worth activist and civil rights leader Dr. Opal Lee celebrates her 100th birthday on Wednesday.
To mark the occasion, one of the projects most closely tied to her legacy is taking a major step forward.
Leaders, supporters and community members are gathering Wednesday morning for the National Juneteenth Museum’s “Clearing the Way” ceremony, marking the beginning of demolition of the Southside Community Center on Rosedale Street and the start of construction on the long-awaited museum in Fort Worth’s Historic Southside.
The milestone comes on Lee’s actual 100th birthday, giving special significance to a project supporters describe as a living tribute to the woman known nationwide as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.”
“For Dr. Opal Lee, this isn’t just a birthday celebration. It’s the realization of a vision she has worked toward for years,” the museum said in a statement. “This long-awaited milestone is more than a gift to Dr. Opal Lee; it is a powerful reflection of her perseverance, resilience, and steadfast commitment to the recognition of Juneteenth as a federal holiday.”
Lee became one of the nation’s most recognizable advocates for Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston to announce and enforce the freedom of enslaved people in Texas.
Her years of activism, including her longtime Walk for Freedom campaign and a national petition effort, helped build momentum for federal recognition of Juneteenth. In June 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, officially making Juneteenth a federal holiday.
Despite becoming a national figure, Lee has often downplayed her accomplishments in the humblest of ways.
When asked in an interview with NBC 5 two years ago what she would say to the many people celebrating her 100th birthday, Lee responded with characteristic humility.
“Well, bless their hearts. I hope they make it to this hundred, too, because I just think it’s important that people live in such a way that they make it to a hundred,” Lee said. “I don’t know that I’ve done anything different than anybody else, but … there have been some rough spots.”
Even after helping secure federal recognition for Juneteenth, Lee said she believes there is still more work ahead.
“I hadn’t even thought about that, yeah, but there’s so much else that needs to be done, so much, if people will just catch a hold of it and see that and share with everybody, you know?” Lee said. “The federal holiday, I’m going to enjoy it as much as anybody. I can think of a lot of other things that we need to be doing, and maybe somebody will catch it and do something with it.”
The National Juneteenth Museum aims to expand that work through education, historical preservation and community development.
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According to project leaders, the museum is strategically designed to honor the history of Juneteenth while creating new opportunities in one of Fort Worth’s historically underserved neighborhoods.
The museum is planned for the intersection of East Rosedale Street and New York Avenue in the Historic Southside, roughly two miles south of downtown Fort Worth.
The area was once considered a thriving center of Black business and culture, sometimes referred to as the “Black Wall Street of the South.” It was also home to Texas’ first Black millionaire, William Madison McDonald, known as “Gooseneck Bill.”
Supporters hope the museum will serve as both a cultural destination and an economic catalyst for the neighborhood, which declined after the construction of Interstate 35W divided the community in the 1960s.
The City of Fort Worth has pledged up to $15 million toward construction of the 50,000-square-foot facility. City leaders estimate it could attract approximately 35,000 visitors annually.
Museum organizers say the facility will focus not only on the history of Juneteenth but also on issues including education, workforce development, entrepreneurship and professional advancement.
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Lee has previously said she hopes the museum becomes a place where people of all backgrounds can come together to learn.
“Listen, “Children need all that we can give them. They’re the most important people in the world, and they need to be raised up to a point where they know right from wrong,” Lee told NBC 5. “I think every adult should be responsible for children. Not just yours, the neighbor’s children and all.”
The celebrations honoring Lee’s centennial continue Wednesday evening at the Fort Worth Convention Center, where former First Lady Michelle Obama is scheduled to participate in a special conversation as part of the National Juneteenth Museum’s Uniting Voices Speaker Series.