Opal Lee portrait to be hung in Texas Senate chamber

Austin, Texas – A portrait of Opal Lee, the “grandmother of June 19th,” will hang permanently on the floor of the Texas Senate.

The commissioned portrait of Lee, who has been calling for making June 19 a national holiday for years, will be unveiled on February 8.

“This will be a historic and significant day in Texas history and for the Texas Senate,” State Senator Royce West said in a press release.

Opal Lee discusses the opening of the National Museum on June 10 in Fort Worth

Lee, who lives in Fort Worth, was with President Joe Biden on July 22, 2021, when he signed S. 475, making June 19 a national holiday.

Opal Lee’s portrait will be the second portrait of an African-American Texan.

In 1973, a portrait of former Texas Senator and US Congressman Barbara Jordan was displayed in the Senate Chamber.

‘One of the greatest awards’: Opal Lee celebrates nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize despite not receiving the award

The idea to hang Lee’s portrait came about at the suggestion of Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.

Lee was nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize and is the driving force behind the opening of the National Museum of the June Events in Fort Worth.