NATIONAL JUNETEENTH MUSEUM MARKS MAJOR MILESTONE WITH “CLEARING THE WAY” AND SPEAKER SERIES ON MS. OPAL LEE’S 100TH BIRTHDAY
“Clearing the Way” demolition event and Uniting Voices Speaker Series signal the beginning of construction for the Museum’s permanent home
FORT WORTH, Texas – On October 7, the National Juneteenth Museum marked a major milestone in its development while celebrating the 100th birthday of Ms. Opal Lee, the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.”
To kick-off the festivities, the Museum hosted “Clearing the Way,” signaling the commencement of work on the site of the National Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth’s historic Southside. Charles Schwab sponsored the standing-room-only event, which featured reflections and well-wishes for Ms. Opal Lee from civic and community leaders. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced a generous donation of $3 million to support the construction and the creation of a genealogy center.
Photo credit: Phillip Dunlap
The Museum continued the celebration on Wednesday night as thousands gathered at the Fort Worth Convention Center for the latest installment of its Uniting Voices Speaker Series. Powered by Simmons Bank, the program closed an extraordinary day for the National Juneteenth Museum, Ms. Opal Lee, and the Fort Worth community.
“Clearing the Way was a tangible step toward making this Museum a reality, and our Uniting Voices Speaker Series demonstrated the kind of meaningful conversation we want this institution to foster,” said Jarred Howard, CEO of the National Juneteenth Museum. “To do both as we celebrated Ms. Opal at 100 made the day especially significant.”
Yesterday’s events honored the woman whose decades of advocacy helped elevate Juneteenth to a day of recognition celebrated nationwide. Reflecting on Ms. Opal Lee’s legacy and institution-building, the National Juneteenth Museum begins the physical work of creating a lasting home for that history and carrying it forward for generations.
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About the National Juneteenth Museum:
The National Juneteenth Museum is more than a museum. It is a national epicenter for education, celebration, and economic opportunity, advancing freedom's promise for generations to come. As the home of Juneteenth history, the Museum connects the freedom stories of the enslaved to modern-day liberation and the daily pursuit of equity and justice. For more information, visit www.nationaljuneteenthmuseum.org.
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