Juneteenth 2023: Opal Lee walks her annual Walk for Freedom event

Live from Dallas Fort Worth. This is WFA News. Welcome back to midday this Monday as we celebrate the Juneteenth holiday. I’m Morgan Young. Let’s take a live look over Fort Worth, where the grandmother of Juneteenth, Opal Lee, is leading her annual walk. Right now, as you can see, there’s a huge crowd that turned out for Opals Walk for Freedom, and among those are very own Cleo Green and Cleo. A large turnout, definitely some concerns about heat, but when we went into the break, we were talking about Miss Opal Lee being in a golf cart. And

now we know she’s not in a golf cart. She’s she’s going back and forth and the seat. I mean Morgan. And it’s really, really hot out here. In fact, some people have had to get some assistance from MedStar. I mean, it’s oppressive out here, but people are still celebrating. It’s still a Juneteenth celebration out here. This is Miss Opal Lee’s Walk for Freedom 2 1/2 miles. They left around 10:45 this morning. More than 2000 people showed up. Now we do have our chopper up in the sky giving you a bird’s eye view of that walk.

Right now it’s about 40 minutes long. Like I said, 2000 people. Have showed up for this walk. Now I was speaking to lead organizers and they told

me Miss Opal Lee, you know, she wanted to walk the entire thing. But listen, it’s dangerously hot out here. So she started walking a little bit and then she got in one of the cards for some help. And then Miss Opal Lee, I’ll tell you, she is a strong willed lady. She got back out to walk. So I really hope she gets back in that car and makes her

way back here to Evans Ave. Plaza where things started and they’re going to finish. There’s an after party as well. This is a significant day. Some people may be wondering, well, why are they walking. 2 1/2 miles out here in the hot heat and I’ll tell you when Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation freeing all slaves across the country, word did not get to Galveston, TX until 2 1/2 years later. Can you believe that? Freeing them finally after 2 1/2 years? So that’s why that is so significant. This is a historic day, so there’s definitely

a celebration going on in the hot heat. People should be making their way back in a few minutes or so here. If you’re still looking at Chopper Eight, I also got a chance to speak to Doctor Opal Lee. She had a press conference. For the walk and she said listen, I am so happy, but there’s still more work that needs to be done. Take a listen. Juneteenth means freedom and we are free yet, so I think I’m gonna keep on walking and talking till we do get it. So let me tell you, Doctor Opal Lee

has a team of people helping her out right now and all year long to make this happen. There’s still a lot of work that needs needs to be done by next year. The museum down the street should be open. So a great turnout here, Morgan. More than 2000 people. Once again, it is hot. I’m probably sweating right now but people have showed up. They’ve showed up and they’ve showed out. So happy Juneteenth and I hope you’re celebrating too. I’ll send it back to you. Morgan. Happy Juneteenth and she’s not sweating all. She’s glowing green in

Fort Worth. Thank you so much.