“Grandmother” of Juneteenth visits Yokosuka Middle School
YOKOSUKA – Yokosuka Middle School sixth grade students had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Opal Lee, “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” and her granddaughter, Dione Sims, on May 20, 2024.
During the event, Dr. Lee and Ms. Sims shared the story of Juneteenth, read Dr. Lee’s children’s book to the audience, and answered student questions about Dr. Lee’s message of unity and her lifetime of humanitarian efforts.
The visit was coordinated by YMS teacher Ms. Tyhisha Nevels and sponsored by USO Yokosuka and Legacy Foundation Japan. YMS thanks Dr. Lee and all who made this event possible, including DODEA Kinnick High School's NJROTC and the Kinnick Singers.
Dr. Lee's visit was part of her ongoing efforts to promote education, unity, and an understanding of Juneteenth, an important day in American history. Juneteenth, celebrated annually on June 19, commemorates the final enforcement in Texas of the Emancipation Proclamation on June 19, 1865, which freed the last enslaved African Americans in the United States.
Dr. Lee has been a tireless advocate for making Juneteenth a national holiday, a cause that culminated in its official recognition in 2021. In 2017, at the age of 89, Dr. Lee undertook a symbolic walk, the Opal’s Walk Campaign, from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, D.C., walking two and a half miles daily to represent enslaved Texans' two- and-a-half-year wait for news of their freedom. Her initiative resulted in thousands of people joining her, and later, in an invitation to the White House. In June of 2021, at the age of 94, she stood next to President Joseph Biden as he signed a bill that made Juneteenth a federal holiday. She was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of North Texas in 2023, and has received numerous other awards. On Friday, May 3, 2024, Dr. Lee received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor awarded to civilians. Her work embodies the spirit of perseverance, education, and social justice.
On May 21, 2024 as Dr. Lee’s visit to Japan came to a close, Mrs. Hull-Walsh, Ms.
Connolly, Ms. Nevels, and ten YMS students had the privilege of being a part of the Yokosuka Delegation to the American Embassy in Tokyo. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to see history in action as The American Embassy welcomed Dr. Lee to Japan.
The video recording of Dr. Lee’s visit to YMS is available to the public using this link.
