AUSTIN, Texas — The face of Fort Worth's own Ms. Opal Lee is now on display in Austin, Texas.
On May 18, family, friends, and lawmakers joined Lee for the installation of her portrait at the Texas State House.
Ms. Opal Lee is known worldwide as the Grandmother of Juneteenth. She helped lead the campaign for June 19th to become a national holiday in the United States.
Now, Lee’s portrait hangs outside the senate chambers in Austin.
Lee traveled to Austin from Fort Worth Thursday morning where Senator Royce West hosted the installation of the portrait.
Ms. Opal Lee also had the opportunity to meet with Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. A likely topic during their meeting was the National Juneteenth Museum campaign underway which is scheduled to open sometime in 2024. Lee is promoting a major fundraising campaign for the facility.
Lee's portrait now hangs across from the portrait of the late history maker Senator Barbara Jordan, a lawyer, educator, and politician. Jordan was the first African American elected to the Texas Senate & the first southern African American Woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Part of the National Juneteenth Museum is actually being constructed on land in Fort Worth owned by Ms. Opal Lee for years. Demolition for the multi-million-dollar historical site started months ago. The museum is expected to draw thousands of people from around the country and become a premier destination while becoming an economic boost for Fort Worth, Texas.
NOTE: The following video was uploaded in Sept. 2022