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President Joe Biden awards the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Opal Lee during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Opal Lee, the “Grandmother of Juneteenth” was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Friday in Washington DC by President Joe Biden. This is the highest honor for a civilian. The Fort Worth activist and educator was one of 19 recipients of the award, which is the nation’s highest civilian honor. Dr. Opal Lee was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.
