Opal Lee, ‘grandmother of Juneteenth,’ spends 100th birthday at the center of celebrations in Texas
The museum said the project marks a major step toward its $70 million goal and honors Lee’s decades of Juneteenth advocacy.
- On Wednesday, October 7, 2026, civil rights leader Opal Lee celebrated her 100th birthday as Fort Worth began demolishing the Southside Community Center to make way for the $70 million National Juneteenth Museum.
- Planned for the Historic Southside, the facility aims to preserve Juneteenth history and revitalize the neighborhood, with organizers raising over $50 million toward the $70 million goal and needing $20 million more.
- The National Juneteenth Museum will feature a 250-seat theater, galleries, and a genealogy center, bolstered by a $3 million donation from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints supporting the tribute to the "Grandmother of Juneteenth."
- At 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Fort Worth Convention Center, Former First Lady Michelle Obama will headline the museum's Uniting Voices Speaker Series, hosting "A Conversation with Michelle Obama" to honor Lee's centennial.
- Construction of the facility is expected to begin in late 2026 or early 2027, as Lee believes "there's so much else that needs to be done" beyond securing Juneteenth's federal recognition.
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Opal Lee, 'Grandmother of Juneteenth' turns 100, celebration honoring her held at National Juneteenth Museum
Opal Lee, a retired Texas teacher known for her activism and as the "Grandmother of Juneteenth," turned 100 on Wednesday. A celebration honoring her decades of advocacy was held at the National Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth, Texas.
Happy Birthday, Queen! 'Grandmother Of Juneteenth' Opal Lee Celebrates Turning 100 In Texas
Opal Lee, the lifelong Texan and a driving force in making Juneteenth a federal holiday, spent her 100th birthday on Wednesday at the center of celebrations in her hometown that included a scheduled visit by former first lady Michelle Obama.RELATED: Opal Lee Reclaims Texas Land Nearly 80 Years After White Mob Forced Her Family OutLee was on hand for construction crews to break ground in Fort Worth on a museum dedicated to telling the history of …
Church supports national Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth
FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 7, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Wednesday gathered with community leaders and supporters of Dr. Opal Lee,the civil rights activist known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” on her 100th birthday and celebrate a major milestone for the future National Juneteenth Museum. Juneteenth commemorates […] The post Church supports national Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth first appeared …
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The Grandmother of Juneteenth, Dr. Opal Lee, turns 100
Celebrating her 100th birthday, a Texas woman known as the "Grandmother of Juneteenth" reflects on her journey.
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