Evanston's Juneteenth parade to honor legacy of Opal Lee with granddaughter as grand marshal

EVANSTON, Ill. (WLS) -- Evanston's annual Juneteenth parade will begin Friday at Arrington Lagoon, with organizers highlighting a personal connection to the fight for federal recognition of the holiday.

This year's grand marshal, Dione Sims, witnessed her grandmother, Opal Lee, push for decades to make Juneteenth a national observance.

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Lee, often called the "Grandmother of Juneteenth," spent years walking hundreds of miles across the country to urge lawmakers to recognize June 19 as a day marking the end of slavery in the United States. Sims accompanied her throughout the effort.

"We were both there on June 17, 2021, when President Biden signed the Juneteenth Independence Day Act into law," Sims said.

Sims has continued her grandmother's work by founding Unity Unlimited, an organization aiming to establish an Opal's Walk for Freedom in all 50 states. Evanston is serving as Illinois' host city, a role made possible in part by Kemone Hendricks, who organized the city's first Juneteenth event in 2020. Hendricks said that early on, she reached out to both Sims and Lee.

"I reached out directly to them, like, 'hey, I need to talk with you and learn more about Juneteenth,'" Hendricks said.

This year, Sims will lead Opal's Walk for Freedom as grand marshal. The 2.5-mile route symbolizes the two and a half years it took for news of the Emancipation Proclamation to reach enslaved people in Texas.

"She's going to be here to commemorate and truly make the walk meaningful, and that's why it's so important for everyone of all races, all ages to come out and support," Hendricks said.

Opal's Walk for Freedom begins at 10:30 a.m. Friday, followed by a celebration at the end of the route. Sims said she also plans to tour the Obama Presidential Center later in the day.