Née: Opal Flake (Show more) Opal Lee’s life has been defined by one date: June 19. Meet Opal Lee Lee became widely known in the 21st century as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth” for her role in having the date—when Union soldiers arrived in Texas in 1865 to tell the enslaved people of the state of that the Emancipation Proclamation had granted them their freedom—made a national holiday in 2021. But it was an act of racist brutality 82 years earlier on June 19, when Lee was just 12 years old, that helped shape her into a civil rights crusader. Opal Flake was born on October ...(100 of 973 words) Access the full article Help support true facts by becoming a member. Subscribe today!