UNT scholarship naming celebrated at reception honoring alumna Opal Lee

The UNT Black Alumni Network (BAN), an affinity group of the University of North Texas Alumni Association, recently hosted an on-campus reception to celebrate the naming of its endowed scholarship. The newly named Opal Lee Endowed Scholarship honors the legacy of pioneering activist, retired educator and UNT alumna, Opal Lee (’63 M.Ed.).

Lee is widely known for her tireless, years-long efforts that culminated in Juneteenth — the annual celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. — being recognized as a federal holiday beginning in 2021, a milestone moment in our nation’s history.

In her remarks at the reception, Lee reminisced about her time at North Texas as a graduate student, sharing that she would ride up to campus with her children, two of whom were undergraduate students at that same time.

“North Texas is dear to my heart. I tell everybody about the Mean Green!” Lee said. “I don’t know how to tell you how grateful I am and how wonderful it is to see young people carrying on.”

Lee also emphasized the importance of patience and perseverance, qualities she knows well from her decades of advocacy. Known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” Lee began a series of walks in 2016 to raise awareness about Juneteenth’s significance, and these walks continue annually. For her efforts, Lee has earned many accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the highest civilian honor — earlier this year, as well as a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.

The scholarship celebration was a collaborative effort between BAN, the UNT Alumni Association and numerous volunteers, including BAN president Kendria Taylor (’03) and former president, Angie Jones (’91).

“This year, we awarded this scholarship to three very deserving young women, and I want to be able to add more to the mix,” Taylor said. “I’d love to see us open it up to more students and make sure that we have the dollars to keep it moving forward.”

Jones, who has been involved in making the scholarship a reality from the beginning, said the reception with Lee was a full-circle moment.

“It has been our mission for years to make support of our students a priority. Ms. Lee represents perseverance and resilience,” Jones said. “I cannot think of a better person to be the face of what the endowment represents.”