Opal Lee and Juneteenth

My librarian friend Susan Minobe is always up on the latest news on the internet, and she posted an article about Opal Lee, the 94-year-old activist who walked for miles—literally and figuratively—for decades to bring attention to Juneteenth and petition for it to be a federal holiday. On Thursday, she was invited to the White House to see President Biden sign that dream into law.

For those who don't know what Juneteenth is: The slaves in Texas were not told they were free for two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation freed them. So General Gordon Granger and 7,000 black troops marched from New York and New Jersey to Galveston, Texas, and on June 19th, 1865, he read out General Order #3 that said all slaves are free, and proclaimed that the Emancipation Proclamation would be enforced. The day is also known as Jubilee Day; now it will be properly celebrated every year.

I saw this picture of Opal Lee on one of her many marches, and wanted to commemorate it by painting this picture for 30x30 Direct—no lines or drawing, just painting direct to the paper. The scene captured my imagination because of the variety of figures and the cast shadow beneath them.

"Juneteenth"—Paul Jackson watercolors in Bee mixed media sketchbook, about 7x5 inches.