In 2021, Juneteenth became an official holiday — the first national holiday to be signed into law since MLK Day (today) in 1983. The law is in no small part thanks to Fort Worth’s Opal Lee, who worked for decades to commemorate Juneteenth (June 19), the day slavery in the US was abolished following the Civil War.
But Opal’s other dream is about to become a reality, too — the National Juneteenth Museum will be built in her hometown. Here’s what we know so far:
📝 Fast Facts
- What: A brand-new museum with a national designation, dedicated to the history of Juneteenth + the abolition of slavery in the United States.
- Where: The new museum will be built where Lee’s current Juneteenth Museum resides at 901 E. Rosedale St. in the Historic Southside, but it will be a completely new development.
- When: The museum board broke ground in 2023 + the grand opening is anticipated for June 19, 2025.
🍽️ Special features
The 50,000-sqft museum will feature historical galleries, a 250-seat theater, food hall, business incubator, and outdoor plaza.
The project will also include 55 residential units, designed to infuse residents back into the Southside neighborhood.
💼 Business incubator
While Juneteenth is rooted in history, the museum will extend beyond the past to fortify Fort Worth’s Black community in Historic Southside. Plans for a business incubator will strengthen entrepreneurship and economic security in the neighborhood.
🖋️ Little details
One confirmed artifact the museum will house is the pen President Biden used to sign the law-making Juneteenth a national holiday. We can’t wait to see what else the museum — one of many exciting local developments happening around town — will bring to our city.
💰 The money
Through a national fundraising campaign and private donations, the museum has raised approximately half of its $70 million goal. Keep reading for the major public benefactors.
- In February 2024, Fort Worth-based BNSF Railway announced a $2 million founding donation that will include inaugural naming rights.
- In July 2023, Bank of America donated a $1 million grant for the museum’s development.
- In June 2023, the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ Regional Transportation Council pledged $3 million for infrastructure improvements around the museum. The investment is contingent on the $70 million museum coming to fruition.
- In May 2023, the Texas Legislature allocated $1 million for the museum through the Texas Historical Commission.
- In December 2022, the Tarrant County Commissioners approved a contract to reimburse the museum for $2 million in construction costs.
- In September 2022, the city of Fort Worth pledged $15 million to be delivered when the museum raises the balance of the funding goal.
