As a graphic biography First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth could not be more relevant in 2026. Sadly, its celebratory tone is, to a degree, contrasted by a world where right-wing populism and concentrated attacks on DEI initiatives have become the norm since Juneteenth became recognised as a federal holiday in 2021, and Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. But that does not in any way detract from the importance of this absorbing piece of comics which is packed with both emotional resonance and detailed information. Indeed it only makes it an even more essential read.
Writer Angélique Roché has a twofold approach in First Freedom – firstly to chart US history and the origins of Juneteenth from the 1860s and the post-Civil War era when it first became a celebration of Emancipation, and secondly to chart the frankly remarkable life of activist Opal Lee (now 99 years of age) in working towards making it a national holiday. Roché uses shifting timelines to do this, juxtaposing Ms. Opal’s early life with her current contemporary world in a back and forth style that draws the reader ever more intimately into her story.
In that regard First Freedom is both a generational story and a very specific account of one inspiring life. Roché charts the grandmother of Juneteenth’s struggles and achievements from her childhood days to her years as a teacher and activist, through to being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2024. All of this is set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement and those hard-won freedoms gained along the way. Three artists illustrate events – Alvin Epps, Broken Frontier Award winner Bex Glendining and Millicent Monroe, with Damali Beatty on colouring – prioritising clarity and accessibility in their visual storytelling and ensuring that First Freedom will connect with both long-time comics readers and those newer to the intricacies of its tools and language.
The book is also bursting with additional information – an enlightening text introduction by Roché with an extensive section of back matter including a timeline, bibliography and additional reading. First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth is a tribute to a truly extraordinary woman and her achievements but it’s also a reminder of how much further we have to go. For more on other relevant work in this area check out our Broken Frontier comics resource list on Black History and Black Lives here.
Angélique Roché (W), Alvin Epps, Bex Glendining & Millicent Monroe (A), Damali Beatty (C), Alexis Bennett with Andworld Design (L), Dylan B. Caleho, Veronica Johnson & Heather Breckel (F) • Oni Press, $19.99
Review by Andy Oliver
