March 26th 2024.
Opal Lee, a remarkable 97-year-old activist, is finally getting ready to move into her new home on the very same property where she was forced out by a racist mob 85 years ago. It's a momentous occasion that she has been eagerly awaiting, and during a recent ceremony on March 21, she proudly lifted up the first wall of her new home. NBC News reports that the house is expected to be move-in ready by June 19, which also happens to be Juneteenth - the day Lee helped establish as a national holiday.
However, this happy event also marks a bittersweet anniversary - the 85th year since that fateful day when an angry mob of 500 people descended upon her parents' home in Fort Worth, Texas. The mob was incensed that a Black family had bought property in their neighborhood, and they showed their hatred by breaking windows and destroying furniture. Lee and her siblings were quickly sent away to a friend's house, while her parents were forced to abandon their home.
"It was a terrible day," Lee recalls. "Those people tore that place apart." But despite the trauma and loss, her parents remained steadfast and resilient. They worked hard and eventually bought another home, never speaking of the incident again. "They didn't get angry or frustrated," Lee says. "They just knew that we needed a place to stay."
Years later, when Lee discovered that Trinity Habitat for Humanity owned the very property where her childhood home once stood, she reached out to her longtime friend and the CEO of the organization, Gage Yager. Unaware of Lee's personal connection to the property, Yager made sure it was not promised to anyone else and offered it to her for a symbolic price of $10. At the recent ceremony, Yager was overwhelmed with joy to see a gathering of people filled with love and positivity on the very same land where a hateful mob once gathered.
Nelson Mitchell of HistoryMaker Homes, the company building Lee's new home pro bono, praised her for being a trailblazer and making a significant impact on the community. Lee has earned the title of "Grandmother of Juneteenth" for her instrumental role in establishing the holiday. As a former teacher and counselor, she has spent decades working to improve the city of Fort Worth, including creating a large community garden.
As she prepares to move back to her childhood property, Lee's thoughts are with her parents. "I know my mom and dad would be smiling down on me," she says. "My dad would probably say, 'Well, we finally got it done.'" The furnishings for her new home will be generously provided by Texas Capital Financial Services, making this homecoming truly special for Opal Lee and her family.
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