Opal Lee marked her 98th birthday by seeing the interior design of the Juneteenth Museum

Opal Lee, known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth, celebrated her 98th birthday Thursday night and got a glimpse of the interior of the forthcoming National Juneteenth Museum with the unveiling of new renderings.
As the happy birthday song filled the air, Lee radiated enthusiasm and joy.
“I’m doing things the whole week,” Lee said when asked about her birthday celebrations. “I do not know what they are but I’m going to participate in them.”
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When she took the microphone, she urged everyone present to make an effort to change minds and promote love.
“We got work to do … because it’s for all us, every one of us … because if people are taught to hate, they can be taught to love,” Lee said.
Lee remembers celebrating Juneteenth by picnicking with her family, first in Marshall and later in Fort Worth. In 1939, when she was 12, her family’s home in Fort Worth was destroyed by a mob of white supremacists, forcing them to flee.
This experience influenced her path as an educator and activist.
In 2016, she undertook a symbolic journey from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C., which significantly raised awareness of the importance of Juneteenth. This action helped her to gain national recognition as “Grandmother of Juneteenth” and make Juneteenth a federal holiday.
The planned National Juneteenth Museum will incorporate several key elements, according to museum’s CEO Jarred Howard.
The museum will feature a 12-point star-shaped hole and gable roof lines to complement the historical context of the area. It will have a welcoming front porch and an LED screen dedicated to community promotions.
The interior includes a public courtyard and a theater that can accommodate 250 guests.
Local Projects, a global experience design studio, will lead the experience and exhibition design efforts. The firm will design immersive, interactive exhibitions that feature multimedia installations and historical artifacts, according to a news release.
Other projects designed by Local Projects include the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama, which tells the story of slavery in the U.S., Greenwood Rising in Tulsa, which showcases the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, and Planet Word, the world’s first voice-activated museum in the heart of Washington, D.C.
A food hall will showcase local food producers, while exhibition galleries will illustrate the story of Juneteenth through various themes, including the journey of freedom.
The interior of the building will feature a public courtyard accessible to everyone for community gatherings. The museum will not tell the Juneteenth story chronologically but through themes, helping visitors understand the significance.
A digital wall will allow visitors to interact with the stories of emancipation from different states, not just Texas.
The museum will also cover the pursuit of justice and the Civil Rights Movement, emphasizing that emancipation and freedom are not the same.
The National Juneteenth Museum is set to open in Fort Worth in 2026 with the help of a $70 million fundraising goal.
“The museum will be a physical example of implementing a culturally engaging learning center that can transform minds and transform communities,” said Howard on the organization’s website.