AUSTIN -- On Wednesday, February 8, 2023, at approximately 11:00 a.m., a portrait commissioned for Ms. Opal Lee, the ‘Grandmother of Juneteenth,’ will be unveiled in the Texas Senate Chamber, where it will be permanently displayed. The recognition is yet another honor to follow her efforts that resulted in Juneteenth (June 19) becoming a national holiday through Ms. Lee’s persistence. Ms. Lee visited the Senate and House on July 22, 2021, during a Special Session of the 87th Texas Legislature where she was presented with resolutions.

“This will be a historic and significant day in the history of Texas and for the Texas Senate,” said State Senator Royce West, who greeted Ms. Lee on the Senate floor just weeks after the signing of S. 475 by President Joe Biden on June 17, 2021. “Ms. Lee will forever be an example of a person willing to work tirelessly for a cause they truly believed in. She shows also, that its never too late to pursue your dreams!”

Of the artworks displayed in the Texas Senate, Ms. Opal Lee’s portrait will be the second to honor an African American Texan. Former Texas Senator and U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Jordan of Houston’s portrait was authorized by resolution for placement in the Senate Chamber in 1973. Ms. Lee’s portrait comes at the suggestion of current Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick. Senator West has worked with the Lt. Governor’s staff and the Secretary of the Senate’s office and former State Senator Beverly Powell to help coordinate the event. Ms. Lee was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.

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