Wiley College will be honoring alumnae Opal Lee, Grandmother of Juneteenth, at its 150-year celebration held this week.
Opal Lee
Lee, an activist and author, was responsible for leading a walking campaign at age 89 from Fort Worth to D.C. to raise awareness of the importance of Juneteenth, an effort that resulted in Juneteenth being recognized as a federal holiday after six years.
“Wiley College is excited to recognize Ms. Lee ’53 with our highest honor,” said Dr. Herman J. Felton, Wiley president and CEO. “Ms. Lee is the epitome of how we invite our students and graduates to live out our mission of social good and leadership. She is the living example of what happens when one is committed to an idea. We are proud that she is a graduate of Wiley College and that we can bestow this honor upon her. Her commitment and work has made a significant contribution to the social change landscape, and must be recognized as many times as we can.”
Lee will be presented the Doctorate of Humane Letters on Mar. 17 during the Sesquicentennial Founders Convocation in the Julius S. Scott, Sr. Chapel, followed by a panel discussion with her and Felton the day after.
.
