WACO, Texas — The Grandmother of Juneteenth made her way to Saint Alban's Episcopal Church to share an evening with the Waco community Thursday.
Local leaders, children, families and Miss. Opal Lee's own sorority gathered to hear her wisdom.
Miss. Opal Lee spoke about her journey to get Juneteenth federally recognized, then the city surprised her by honoring June 22nd in her name from that day forward.
Lee was almost in tears when she received the award, but throughout the night she was all smiles as she spoke to her captivated audience.
"We need people to be aware that we are one people," she said. "The color of your skin doesn't stop you just like the color of my skin doesn't stop me."
Cheers and clapping filled the room every time Lee spoke. Lots of laughs could be heard at Miss. Lee spoke about how P Diddy helped her receive the support she needed to make Juneteenth a federal holiday.
Leaders in the Central Texas community said it meant the world to have Miss. Lee in Waco.
"Her being here lets people know that our history and culture is important," Peaches Henry, the Waco NAACP president, said.
"She walked two and a half miles, of course to commemorate how long it took from 1863 to 1865," Taneika Moultrie, with the Killeen NAACP, said. "The is truly a trail blazer in African American history.
Poetry and song paid homage to Lee's legacy, what she fights for, and the fight she wants to continue, because it's the communities she speaks to that will be tomorrows future.
"It's about freedom for everybody," she said. "And the sooner we get that in our heads, the better off we're going to be."