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Grandmother of Juneteenth to receive honorary doctoral degree from SMU

Updated on: April 22, 2024 / 10:27 PM CDT / CBS Texas

DALLAS — Civil rights icon Opal Lee will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Southern Methodist University, the university announced.

Lee led a national campaign that led to the creation of Juneteenth, or June 19, as a national holiday.

The National Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth is expected to open to the public in 2026, according to its website.

The grandmother of Juneteenth and retired teacher has already received seven honorary doctorates. Her eighth degree will be presented at SMU's commencement on May 11.

The presentation of her degree will be included in the live stream of the commencement.

S.E. Jenkins

S.E. Jenkins is a digital content producer for CBS Texas. S.E. has previously held roles in London and Ukraine. She has also been a Digital Content Producer in Tallahassee and Myrtle Beach. S.E. graduated with journalism degrees from Texas State University, Aarhus Universitet and City University of London.