Graphic Novel ‘First Freedom’ Explores The Roots Of Juneteenth

Detail from cover of First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth, by Angélique Roché with art and lettering by Alvin Epps, Bex Glendining, and Millicent Monroe, Oni Press, 2026.

Courtesy of Oni Press

Five years ago, when President Biden signed legislation enacting Juneteenth, which honors African American heritage and history on the date that emancipation was (belatedly) proclaimed in Texas in 1865, as a federal holiday, it felt like the arc of history was finally starting to bend just a little bit toward justice and reconciliation. It seemed like a good time to take stock of the centuries of history and decades of struggle leading to that moment, and to recognize the life of Ms Opal “Granddear” Lee, the extraordinary Texas woman whose decades of work resulted in the holiday being federally recognized.

First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth, a graphic novel by writer Angélique Roché and the art team of Alvin Epps, Bex Glendining, and Millicent Monroe that came out in February from Oni Press, tells that story with remarkable passion and clarity. It follows Ms Lee’s story from her childhood in the segregated South of the 1930s, through the Civil Rights era, and down to the present day, against the backdrop of American history.

Based on extensive research and conversations with Ms Lee, her family and others in her circle, Roché’s narrative emphasizes how much faith, patience and tireless effort was required of Lee’s generation just to secure the basic dignities of American citizenship. Against that backdrop, the achievement of getting Juneteenth recognized as a federal holiday stands out as the historical accomplishment that it is.

The book was in development in 2024, referring to events ending in 2021, and is full of unintentionally poignant reminders of how much time has passed in just the last two years. In 2021, Ms Lee was welcomed into the White House through the East Wing, which is now a pile of rubble awaiting transformation into a massive new fortified “ballroom.”

She was greeted by a President who marked the occasion with the words “Great nations don’t ignore their most painful moments. They embrace them. Great nations don’t walk away. We come to terms with mistakes we made. And remembering those moments, we begin to heal and grow stronger.”

The book quotes a Supreme Court that unambiguously and unanimously affirmed the principles of equal rights in the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education decision, which, like emancipation, took a while to actually go into effect.

The contrast between the recent past and the present does not take away any of First Freedom’s power. Rather it amplifies it and makes it more necessary for Americans to hear this story, particularly in a format that is so accessible to readers of all ages and backgrounds.

“First Freedom leverages the graphic novel format to transform over a century of biography and the complex journey of emancipation into an immersive experience,” said Roché. “By blending history, narrative and historically accurate imagery, First Freedom aims to bridge generational gaps with the profound emotional depth of Dr. Opal Lee’s story [Lee has received honorary doctorates from many universities]. Combined with a historic timeline, robust citations and recommended resources, First Freedom is designed to not only transport the reader to the past but to provide a deeper understanding of the story’s significance to the present.”

First Freedom bends over backwards to be explanatory and narrative rather than didactic, and it helps that Opal Lee is such an endearing and relatable figure. The story does not flinch from the realities of segregation, including the violence that the family faced moving into white neighborhoods in Fort Worth in the 1950s, but there is more hope than fear, more faith in the power of righteousness to defeat injustice, in its pages.

“We’re honored to bring Opal Lee’s extraordinary story to life for a new generation through the creative vision of Angélique Roché, Alvin Epps, Bex Glendining, and Millicent Monroe,” said David Steward II, CEO of Polarity, the company that owns Oni Press. “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. The graphic novel serves as a powerful testament to resilience, justice, and freedom—a narrative that embodies the values we aspire to share with our Oni readers.”

Oni is not a publisher that shies away from controversy, though it is doubtful they viewed this book as especially polarizing. But at a moment when just remembering historical fact feels like a political act, First Freedom hits different this Juneteenth.

Below is an exclusive preview of pages from First Freedom by Angélique Roché, Alvin Epps, Bex Glendining, and Millicent Monroe (Oni Press, 2026).