With the release of First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth graphic novel today from Oni Press, we are delighted to be joined by Angélique Roché. Angélique is a writer, journalist, and professor. Angélique is joined by Alvin Epps, Millicent Monroe, Bex Glendining, Alexis Bennett and Andworld Design on the First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth graphic novel.
Hi Angélique, it’s so wonderful to have you here with us. Could you please introduce yourself?
My name is Angélique Roché, but with all honorifics and initials, I’m Dr. A. Angélique Roché JD. LL.M. I am a writer, journalist, and professor from New Orleans, LA, and I currently serve as the Chief Creative Officer at the Ashé Cultural Arts Center, supporting local artists and creatives of color.
Can you tell us about the origins of First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth?
It all started with a five-sentence email from David Steward II, an hour-long conversation a week later, and an approval from the Lee family over Zoom.
Who is Dr. Opal Lee?
She is the great-granddaughter of a runaway slave, the granddaughter of a traveling preacher from Webster Parish, Louisiana, the daughter of an accomplished pastry chef, mother of four, sister, wife, deaconess of over 50 years, a lifelong teacher, an advocate for equity, activist for freedom, but most of all, to everyone she meets, she is granddear.
For any of our readers who are unfamiliar with Juneteenth, how would you describe it?
Juneteenth is the commemoration of the day that “freedom” was officially announced and enforced by the Union (United States) military in the last state of the former confederacy. More specifically, it was the day that Major Frederick Emory issued General Order No. 3 on behalf of Maj. General Gordon Grainger under the orders of Maj. Sheridan formally announced the emancipation of enslaved people in accordance with the Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865
How did Alvin Epps, Millicent Monroe, Bex Glendining, Alexis Bennett , and Andworld Design join the team?
I have to give all the credit to my editor, Megan Brown, who diligently researched and worked with the entire team, including Dr. Lee and her family, to find the right artists to bring this story to life. I am grateful to her for her Intentional search and outreach and all the incredible artists for being part of the team.
What was it like working with Alvin Epps, Millicent Monroe, Bex Glendining, Alexis Bennett, Andworld Design, and Oni Press?
Nothing less than incredible. Bringing together almost a century of life, spanning over nine decades plus history dating back over 160 years, in 200 pages is no small feat. It required a lot of creativity, edits, feedback, and approvals to ensure we did the story justice. At the end of the day, I will always be grateful that everyone was on board and trusted the process… as a result, I believe we have created a one-of-a-kind story that honors the life and work of Dr. Lee.
What was it like meeting Dr. Opal Lee?
Like meeting the grandmother I never had, equipped with all the incredible adventures you can imagine. When you first meet Ms. Opal, she wastes no time telling you to call her granddear, and she takes pride in filling the role of a loving, motivational, no-nonsense grandmother. My mother’s mother died when I was seven, and my father’s mother didn’t live to see me graduate from high school. So, for me — like many others — meeting her for the first time was something pretty special.
What kind of research did you carry out?
My research was pretty broad. While I started by searching secondary sources like newspapers, documentaries, and books on Juneteenth, the Civil War, and Fort Worth history, I soon branched out. Ultimately, I used information from genealogical sources, including family trees, military and marriage records, photo collections, and Library of Congress records. In addition, my research on the ground in Texas included collecting archival footage and photographs and visiting many of the sites depicted in the book.
Was it a challenge to write First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth?
I’d be lying if I said no, but it was a challenge in a way that a runner trains for a marathon or a gymnast trains for the Olympics. It was challenging with a purpose and a goal worth pursuing.
What can you tell us about First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth?
It’s not just a story of what happened to Dr. Opal Lee, but a story about Dr. Opal Lee. So often when we retell the lives of Black women, the story only focuses on the tragic moments of inhumanity. We oftentimes leave out the humanity, the little things that make us who we are. So yes, it is about love and loss, racism and segregation but also joy, relationships, and how who we are can change the world we live in.
Did you get any feedback from Dr. Opal Lee about First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth?
We worked very closely with Ms. Opal’s family during the entire process, including working with the family on the script and visual review. Probably my proudest moment was when I was told that her granddaughter read her portions of the book, in particular the first parts on her grandfather’s farm, and she responded that she was excited that we were HER story in a way that was accessible to younger people.
Any message for the ComicBuzz readers?
Only that I am so excited for everyone to get their hands on First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth!
We would love to say a big thank you to Angélique Roché for chatting with us, and we wish her the best of luck for the release of First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth.
