Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "First Freedom: The Story Of Opal Lee And Juneteenth" by Angelique Roche, Alvin Epps, Millicent Monroe & Bex Glendining. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers to please keep that in mind!)
"The incredible journey of activist Opal Lee - known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth - is brought to life in this biographical novel that not only explores Opal's remarkable path, but the history of the holiday of Juneteenth itself. From the 1860s to Ms. Opal's childhood home, from her years as a teacher to the White House, The First The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth seeks to give readers an insight into the history behind one of the central figures in the creation of America's newest federal holiday, Juneteenth. Born in 1926, Opal Lee grew up in a racially divided America and dedicated her life to covercoming the obstacles presented therin. A lifelong educatior, Ms. Opal has been a community activist all her life, and would take on the movement to celebrate and commemorate Juneteenth not just as a holiday, but as a symbol of comprehensive freedom for all people. Ms.Opal's life personifies the fight for everyday freedom that leads to lasting change. As the Grandmother of Juneteenth says, 'There is so much more to do.' Written by acclaimed journalist, producer, and author Angelique Roche (My Super Hero Is Black) and drawn by a trio of talented artists - including Alvin Epps (I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005: A Graphic Novel), Bex Glendining (The Upcoming On Starlit Shores), and rising star Millicent Monroe - The First The Story Of Opal Lee And Juneteenth promises to illiminate the life of a singular woman and the history of a momentous holiday, with additional back matter providing more insights into Juneteenth's history and the making of this graphic novel tribute."
I received this book as an ARC on Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.
So the reason I wanted to read this is because I saw it on my favourite Graphic novel publisher, Oni Press's, Netgalley and know I've been trying to read more diverse stories so I applied for it. Friends this book was so much more educational than I was expecting. I need you to know, coming into this I had not much of a clue about Juneteenth, and/or Opal Lee as we don't get taught a lot of black/american history within our schooling system, or see a lot of things around it within out local media. This is exactly the kind of book that I am trying to read to learn more about the history that was never taught to us. To read Opal's story was facinating and to read the history behind why she did what she did was such an eye opening experience. I knew what the celebration of Juneteenth meant but I did not know the complete history behind it, or even the history of what ended up coming after it. Human beings like Opal show us exactly why this needed to get the recognition it deserved and I really appreciated that the author who wrote this put so much time and research into this and added more resources in order for us to further educate ourselves. I loved every minute of this graphic novel and definitely would recommend this to everyone.
I gave this a 4/5 star rating on Goodreads!
This book comes out on the 3rd February 2026!
What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!
Have a wonderful day!
Love, Doe!
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