She Persisted: Opal Lee

by Shelia P. Moses, Chelsea Clinton, Alexandra Boiger (Illustrator)

Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger, a chapter book series about women who spoke up and rose up against the odds—including Opal Lee!

Opal Lee grew up as a Black girl in Texas at a time when Black and white people were kept separate and Black people had fewer opportunities than white people did. She knew that this wasn’t right, and she grew up to be a teacher and a community leader, determined to help create a better future for all people. A big part of her work and life was making Juneteenth a national holiday to mark the end of enslavement for Black Americans. She loved this day as both a celebration and as a way of teaching about the past. Opal’s work and dedication has helped millions of people learn about important parts of American history.


In this chapter book biography by critically acclaimed author Shelia P. Moses, readers learn about the amazing life of Opal Lee—and how she persisted. 

Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, black-and-white illustrations throughout, and a list of ways that readers can follow in Opal Lee's footsteps and make a difference! A perfect choice for kids who love learning and teachers who want to bring inspiring women into their curriculum.

And don’t miss out on the rest of the books in the She Persisted series, featuring so many more women who persisted, including Harriet Tubman, Claudette Colvin, Coretta Scott King, Marian Anderson, and more!

Genres: Biography Memoir, History, Nonfiction, Biography, Childrens, Holiday, Middle Grade

90 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 19, 2023

About the author

Poet, author, playwright, and producer Shelia P. Moses was raised the ninth of ten children on Rehobeth Road in Rich Square, North Carolina. She is the co-author of Dick Gregory's memoir, Callus on My Soul, as well as the award-winning author of several books for young readers. Shelia lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Reviews

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detailing the long life of Opal Lee, she had seen much over her 90+ years including her family home burned down by a white mob, a Black president, and the Juneteenth celebration become a national holiday which she had pushed for after her retirement and work within her community.

Lee was a person who persisted both working tirelessly after a failed early marriage with four children to return to her parents to help care for her children and work to get a degree to teach. She taught for many years and continued her connection and volunteerism with food pantries and more afterward.

The She Persisted series highlights persistent women from history in a chronological and focused way whether they're well-known or less known.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

The She Persisted mini chapter book biography series are perfect for elementary and intermediate age students interested in learning about the featured person for an assignment or just for an informative read about important women in history. This edition about Opal Lee, is well written and describes a time that seems impossible for young students, painting a picture of discrimination both before and after segregation. Opal Lee reminds me so much of one of my all time heroes Jane Addams; this mini-biography has done its job and inspired me to learn even more about this remarkable woman.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't recognize Opal Lee's name, so I enjoyed learning about someone new-to-me. It was interesting to me that she was the driving force behind having Juneteenth declared a holiday, which, in my opinion, is a very important piece of American history that forces more accurate and nuanced thinking about US slavery. One thing that I found interesting was that, unlike some of the women featured in this biography series, Opal seemed extraordinary, but in an ordinary way that could be achievable for many of us through hard work, resilience, and supportive community, as opposed to being physically or mentally gifted and/or being born to privilege.

[Patsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short chapter book written by Sheila P. Moses, telling the story of Opal Lee who championed the movement to make Juneteenth a national holiday. She is attributed to many other good works throughout her long life, as well. She was born in the 1930s, a time when racism was rampant; and she and her family experienced more than their share of discrimination because of it. Yet, “she persisted” in so many ways! She is a credit to womanhood. She is a role model to all girls and women. This is a must read to all of our daughters!

[Natasha Roslosnik · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing woman - an educator and activist - her persistence helped to make Juneteenth a federal holiday.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone wanting a little more information about Juneteenth and all elementary aged children.

[Rene Del Bosque Moncayo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creciendo en Texas en una desigualdad en un barrio negro desarrolla su pasión por enseñar ella logra ayudar a por tener un programa de televisión y radio por muchos años sirndo una mujer muy rica y ayudando a las mujeres a salir a delante

[Jennybeast · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glad to read this short biography of Opal Lee -- what an extraordinary person, with an extraordinary life. I didn't love the writing as much as some of the others in this series, but it is certainly very accessible.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opal Lee is an amazing woman. All children should be introduced to her activism. This book allows that to happen in a easy read. A good biography to have in class for newer readers.

[Mary T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read helping me to get to know somebody in history I didn’t know about!

[MaryJo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looking forward to checking out other books in this seies