Oni Press has announced a graphic biography of Opal Lee, the activist who campaigned for years to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth, will be written by journalist, producer, and author Angélique Roché (My Super Hero is Black), with art by Alvin Epps, Bex Glendining, and Millicent Monroe. The book follows the life of Lee, who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2024, interspersing it with the story of the first Juneteenth. The 192-page book will be released on February 3, 2026, in two formats, a hardcover with an MSRP of $29.99 and a paperback with an MSRP of $19.99.

“First Freedom illustrates how one voice can inspire meaningful change, chronicling Opal’s journey from grassroots activism to national recognition, elevating Juneteenth beyond a historical milestone,” said Polarity CEO David Steward II in a statement accompanying the announcement.

“It doesn’t take much to see that the great-granddaughter of a runaway slave, born into Jim Crow and segregation, taught through integration and grew to be the grandmother of Juneteenth, has a story that needs to be told,” Roché said. “All too often, the stories of African Americans and our communities are filled with devastating gaps and missing moments, from the ordinary to the extraordinary. The story of Ms. Opal Lee fills those gaps, highlighting everyday struggles and the critical moments between emancipation – that first freedom – and the hard-fought freedoms won since. From a farm in Texarkana, Arkansas, to the White House, Ms. Opal's life represents not just the power of one person but the collective strength of our movements."

Oni also recently announced a compact edition of Skullkickers (see “Oni to Release Jim Zub and Edwin Huang’s ‘Skullkickers’ in Compact Format”).

Click Gallery below for interior art!