Oni Press, the acclaimed Eisner and Harvey Award-winning publisher, will release First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth in February 2026. The graphic novel honors the remarkable life of Dr. Opal Lee, a social impact leader whose decades-long activism helped establish Juneteenth as a national holiday.
This biographical work pairs award-winning journalist and author Angélique Roché (My Super Hero is Black) with three talented artists — Alvin Epps (I Survived Hurricane Katrina), Bex Glendining (upcoming Indigo Port), and Millicent Monroe — who each bring different chapters of Dr. Lee’s story and the broader history of Black Americans since the Civil War to vivid life.
Spanning from the first Juneteenth celebrations in 1865 through Dr. Lee’s childhood under segregation, her career as an educator, and her receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2024, the graphic novel offers readers a deep look at the struggles and triumphs behind this historic holiday.
“All too often, the stories of African Americans and our communities are filled with devastating gaps and missing moments, from the ordinary to the extraordinary. The story of Dr. Opal Lee fills those gaps, highlighting everyday struggles and the critical moments between emancipation – that first freedom – and the hard-fought freedoms won since,” says Roché. “From a farm in Texarkana, Arkansas, to the White House, Ms. Opal’s life represents not just the power of one person but the collective strength of our movements.”
Dr. Opal Lee, born in 1926, has dedicated her life to activism, education, and community service. Known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” she has been a tireless advocate for recognizing Juneteenth as a symbol of comprehensive freedom for all.
First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth will be available at comic shops and bookstores nationwide in February 2026.
