Opal Lee: From Racist Destruction to Land Reclamation - The Journey of the Grandmother of Juneteenth
Opal Lee, the remarkable 'Grandmother of Juneteenth,' is courageously reclaiming her family's land in Fort Worth, Texas, 80 years after a racist mob destroyed their home Despite the passage of time, the resilient 97-year-old vividly recalls the traumatic incident and remains determined to restore justice
It has been over 80 years since a racist mob destroyed Opal Lee's family home in Fort Worth, Texas. Despite the time that has passed, the 97-year-old still vividly remembers the White crowd that forced her family out of their home. "Our parents worked really hard and then they bought this house on Annie Street," Lee recalled of her childhood home. "My mom had it fixed up so nicely."
Upon moving in, Lee informed CNN that a group of White individuals began congregating, expressing their anger at a Black family purchasing a home in the area.
"Can you imagine, on June 19th, a group started gathering? And there were police present, but they didn't intervene," Lee recounted to CNN. "Our parents sent us to stay with friends several blocks away. (Later) they left under the cover of night."
"Those people threw out the furniture. They did despicable things," she said. The mob destroyed Lees home, burning it to the ground, she said.
Opal Lee, a key advocate for the federal recognition of Juneteenth as a holiday, is pictured with her portrait following its unveiling in the Texas Senate Chamber on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, in Austin, Texas. (Photo credit: Eric Gay/AP)
Grandmother of Juneteenth celebrates federal holiday
"Our parents never ever discussed it with us, not once," Lee said, adding, "I buried the whole thing for so long."
The date of the attack, Juneteenth, would go on to define Lee's life. Instead of holding onto animosity, she channeled her emotions into activism, dedicating her life to helping people in her community and raising awareness about the importance of Juneteenth, which commemorates the freedom of Black Americans from enslavement. At the age of 89 in 2016, Lee embarked on a walk from Ft. Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., advocating for Juneteenth to become a national holiday. She became known as the "Grandmother of Juneteenth" and after years of campaigning, Lee was finally able to celebrate Congress making Juneteenth a holiday in 2021, as reported by CNN.
Recent years have seen Lee reconnecting with the attack on her family that inspired her to become an activist. She has made the decision to attempt to purchase the land where her home once stood. Lee reached out to the landowner, Trinity Habitat for Humanity, which she had served on the board of directors for in the past. Despite her longtime friendship with CEO Gage Yager, he declined to sell her the property.
"He was going to give it to me!" Lee said. "They brought the plans to me, where Habitat planned to build a house for me on that lot. I tell you, how about that coming full circle?"
A 3D rendering of Opal Lee's future home provided by Trinity Habitat for Humanity.
Eli Tarin/Trinity Habitat for Humanity
Yager informed CNN that the best course of action regarding Opal and her tragic story would be to give her the lot to use as she wishes. While it doesn't rectify the injustice, it does bring it to a close. Trinity Habitat initiated construction on the land in October and has developed plans for Lee's future home, according to Yager. The organization is currently collaborating with partners to secure funds for the construction of the house.
Lee expressed her desire for her 50-year-old residence to be transformed into a museum, while also expressing her excitement about reclaiming her family's land. "I wanted to do a holy dance," she said. "I'm a happy camper, girl, you cannot believe how happy I am!"
