Opal Lee Juneteenth petition reaches 1 million signatures

In this photo taken May 29, 2017, the Texas African American History Memorial stands on the grounds of the Texas Capitol in Austin, Texas. The monument, made of bronze and granite and erected in 2016, traces the history of African-Americans in Texas from the 1500's to the present. The central portion of the memorial, by sculptor Ed Dwight, depicts Juneteenth in Texas, which commemorates the date of June 19, 1865, the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation abolishing slavery. Sculptor Ed Dwight created the memorial. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

On Sunday, June 21, 2020, Opal Lee’s Change.org petition for Congress to make Juneteenth a federally observed holiday, reached one million signatures. Fort Worth’s Opal Lee, who just concluded a 2.5-mile signature walk and caravan to celebrate the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth, was home resting when Sean Diddy Combs video called her with news of the petition’s milestone.

“Thank you, Diddy, for using your power to reach the young people, you are the bomb!”, Opal Lee said to the mogul who interviewed her on REVOLT on Juneteenth.

This year to commemorate Juneteenth, Opal led a caravan in the heart of Fort Worth, and attracted over four hundred vehicles during Opal’s Walk LIVE. Additional gatherings in support of Opal Lee’s mission took place by foot and caravan simultaneously in Arkansas, New Jersey, and Georgia.

For over 40 years, Lee has championed Juneteenth and for 20 years has supported it becoming a national holiday as a board member of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF).

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Lee credits the millionth signature accomplishment to her supporters, new collaborators, and donors.

“This is just phase one. We still need to keep the pressure on lawmakers, so the public should contact their US Senators and Representatives to voice their support for a national Juneteenth holiday,” said Lee.

For more information, visit www.opalswalk2dc.com and follow with @TheRealOpalLee.