Opal Lee is called the grandmother of Juneteenth. She began walking state to state in 2016 to draw the attention of lawmakers, to have the date declared a federal holiday. Congress passed legislation declaring it so. President Biden signed the bill into law on June 17, 2021. Read more at Mental Floss.

Make plans to celebrate Juneteenth Freedom Day at LLCC on June 19, 2024, with the second annual Freedom Walk at 8:30 a.m. Each day before the celebration, the LLCC Juneteenth Committee will share a fact about this historic day.