When you think of Black history, who comes to mind? Martin Luther King, Jr.? Rosa Parks? While these people are important, some of the most overlooked contributions to Black history are not taught in school. This is the case with Dr. Opal Lee, known as “The Grandmother of Juneteenth.” For the first time, her story is being told in graphic novel format with the release of Oni Press‘ book, The First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth.
This book is by a team that includes prolific journalist, producer, and author Angélique Roché, artists Alvin Epps and Bex Glendining as well as rising star Millicent Monroe, and colorist Damali Beatty with lettering by Alexis Bennett with Andworld Design. We spoke to writer Angélique Roché about the book’s origins, its ties to Juneteenth, and more.
Nerdist: You are not only the writer for this project, but also the main researcher. How did this project get started? What was the process for researching and organizing the information needed for this book?
Angélique Roché: Beyond all of the culturally and temporally relevant research that felt important, I knew immediately that my most vital resource was Dr. Lee herself. It didn’t escape how lucky I was to have access to THE primary source. So the first step in my process was to get on her and her granddaughter Dione Sims’ extremely busy schedule. My first week with them in Fort Worth required about two weeks of prep, but the real work was filling in the blanks and following up for those initial conversations.
To help in the process, I constructed a detailed timeline dating back to the 1800s and a narrowly focused family tree of Ms. Opal’s family dating back to 1850. After that, I dug in, organizing her stories alongside historical accounts, personal archives, key events, newspaper articles, and other official documents to reconstruct Ms. Opal’s world.
As I read the book, one of the things that was notable to me was how Opal Lee celebrated Juneteenth in Fort Worth, Texas, long before it became a national holiday. It reminded me a lot of the 2020 movie Miss Juneteenth, starring Nicole Beharie. How do you think this project ties into the resilience and jubilation embodied by the holiday?
Roché: At its core, this story is about resilience and jubilation. The discovery of every little moment, every joy, every heartbreak, every unexpected adventure, inspired me to tell a story about what it means to be rooted in a sense of fairness and equity for all people, even those who harm you. Ms. Opal didn’t just find for others; she fought for herself, and despite segregation, discrimination, and sexism, she refused to be deterred from pushing toward a more just world for all people.
A story as grand as Opal Lee’s is usually associated with either documentaries or a historical biopic like Hidden Figures or Rustin. Yet as a graphic novel, her story feels more alive than most movies I’ve seen. Why do you think the comic book medium and the team you worked with is thought provoking enough to impact the reader?
Roché: I wholeheartedly believe that there is a place for a documentary or biopic on Dr. Lee’s life. That said, the graphic novel medium works perfectly as a more extended telling of the story, providing multiple opportunities or windows into Ms. Opal’s life that may not have fit in a 60-90-minute film. A graphic novel, especially in the case of a life spanning a century, allows key or impactful moments to “breathe,” giving the reader a chance to pause and reflect or process parts of the story in ways they wouldn’t be able to while watching a film.
As a Black child, I would sometimes read the graphic novel or picture book version of books like Jane Eyre or of historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr. Unlike now, I don’t recall seeing a lot of books by and about Black folks then. How do you hope this book reaches readers regardless of their age?
Roché: Tell me about it! For most of us, images of Black and brown figures were rarely seen on the shelves of our local or school libraries. That is why books like The First Freedom, with its unique format including a preface, timeline, footnotes, and a further reading list, are not just important; they are essential. I wanted not only to tell the story of an incredible woman but also to encourage readers to keep going, keep reading, keep learning about the incredible lives of the women and men making a difference every day, and to realize that we have much more in common with them than we think.
I recently read an indie comic called Ancestral Recall by Jordan Clark and Atgun IIhan. In it, the protagonist Marvin has the power to call on and use the knowledge and abilities of Black historical figures. Based on your knowledge and superhero expertise, what power do you feel she would bestow on Marvin?
Roché: This may be a cheat, but I think Ms. Opal would bestow a superhuman level of empathy fueled by gumption, immense joy, and an incalculable amount of faith.
The First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth will hit book store shelves on February 10.