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Opal Lee, the “Grandmother of Juneteenth”, has been regifted her family’s land, which was formerly damaged and taken by a racist mob.
The 97-year-old woman who helped make history is finally being reunited with the roots of her family’s land.
Lee is a civil rights activist who embarked on a mission to make Juneteenth a national holiday. In 2016, Lee walked from her home in Forth Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C. Following this, Lee delivered a petition to the White House, explaining why Juneteenth should be nationally recognized.
Once Lee realized her former property belonged to the Trinity Habitat of Humanity, she contacted Gage Yager, the CEO of the organization.
Yager recalled the conversation between her and Lee to WFAA. They were speaking on the phone, when Lee said, “You guys own my lot at 940 East Annie.” Then, Lee asked if she could purchase the land. Yager responded with, “You know Opal, we’re not going to sell you that lot. But we’ll give you that lot.”
In addition to granting Lee the land, Trinity Habitat for Humanity is also building her a home on the property.
Opal Lee’s Land Taken almost five decades ago
On June 19, 1939, a 12-year-old Opal Lee first witnessed racial acts with her own eyes. At a young age, Lee became a victim of racism and injustice, watching as her family’s land was stripped from her hands.
Lee’s family moved onto 940 East Annie Street in Fort Worth when about 500 people crowded their property. A racist White mob emerged and forced Lee’s family out of their own home. As this was happening, police took no action but watched the Black family’s home being ambushed.
They racist mob trashed the family’s home and burned their belongings inside. Lee recalls the property being, “the nicest place [they] had in Fort Worth.” Her family worked hard for that home for their children, but the racist encounters resulted in relocation for the family.
To escape the violence, her parents sent the children away from the home. Lee and her two younger brothers, “were frightened to death when our parents sent us away from the house. To come back later to see it in shambles, that was traumatic.”
In early September, Lee and her closest friends gathered to celebrate Lee’s birthday. They also broke ground on the new reclaimed property. The reclaimed land is now full circle, as the once-stolen land has been awarded back to the right owner, Opal Lee.