Church of Jesus Christ donates $3M for National Juneteenth Museum in Texas

SALT LAKE CITY — Opal Lee spent her 100th birthday on Wednesday at a ceremonial demolition at the site of the future National Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth, Texas.

She is a retired teacher and counselor known as the "Grandmother of Juneteenth" for her work to help make June 19 a federal holiday.

At the event on Wednesday, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced it will donate $3 million to support the construction of the 50,000-square-foot museum, which will include a genealogy center powered by FamilySearch. The genealogy center will focus specifically on preserving records and stories for African American families that have been difficult to trace.

Elder Michael A. Dunn, president of the church's southwest U.S. area, attended the event on Wednesday along with other museum and community leaders.

"We celebrate all as brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of the living God. ... That's why we are so excited to be a part of this Juneteenth museum," he said.

A statement from the church said its collaboration on the museum developed over several years, including a visit from Lee to church headquarters in 2022. Church members near Fort Worth have also participated in Juneteenth celebrations and in the Opal Lee Walk for Freedom, helping strengthen relationships across faith traditions through service and outreach.

Lee has operated a smaller Juneteenth museum in the area for many years. This museum will build on that with exhibits, educational spaces, a theater and gathering areas.

"This deed won't go unnoticed," Dr. Lee said in brief remarks at the event. "It'll be where everybody can see how much you appreciated what we are doing in this community — and this is everybody's contribution."

National Juneteenth Museum CEO Jarred Howard said: "This is an incredible day in the history of our movement, in the history of the South Side, in the history of the city of Fort Worth."

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also donated 38,000 pounds of food to five food banks in the area, continuing its effort to deliver 250 truckloads of food to celebrate the country's 250th anniversary.

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