The Greater Georgia Black Chamber of Commerce (GGBCC) will host a Juneteenth Freedom Fellowship Walk in honor of Opal Lee, who is widely recognized as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth”, on Thursday, June 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The walk will begin at Holliday Empowerment HQ, 560 N. Jeff Davis Drive in Fayetteville, at 12:00 p.m., and will be preceded and followed by a community celebration featuring welcoming remarks, local speakers, music, and a selection of Black-owned small business pop-up shops.

The walk pays tribute to Opal Lee’s decades-long activism, which spearheaded the movement to establish Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Her historic walk from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington D.C. paved the way as both a symbolic and literal journey towards achieving national recognition of freedom for all Americans. Events like GGBCC’s Freedom Fellowship  Walk now continue her legacy in celebrating the holiday in communities across the globe. 

“The most rewarding part of organizing this event has been learning about Ms. Opal Lee and learning how many people she has touched,” said Veronique Thomas, Vice President of Operations with GGBCC. “There are people walking in Japan in honor of Ms. Opal at the same time on the same day, so learning how far her reach has gone is a great thing.”

This event also aligns with GGBCC’s mission to empower African American communities and entrepreneurs through economic advancements and opportunities. In addition to honoring history, this event will feature Black-owned businesses, including a special Juneteenth scent curated by The Scented Vine, a fragrance shop and partner of the walk.

“We exist to build sovereign communities through business growth,” said Thomas. “Celebrating Juneteenth through entrepreneurship underscores that economic empowerment is a modern freedom issue.”

The GGBCC’s Freedom Fellowship Walk serves as an opportunity for unity, celebration, and education in remembrance of the holiday and it’s continuous impact moving into the future.