By Julia Falcon
FORT WORTH, TX — After 85 years, the “Grandmother of Juneteenth” is moving back home.
The home that Opal Lee lived in as a child was burned down on June 19, 1939, when hundreds of white rioters gathered to harass, vandalize, and run her family out of the neighborhood.
Although she was only 12 at the time, Lee has said that she never lost hope of someday owning her family’s lot on the south side of Fort Worth.
“Just to know that there might be children that we could have played with, that we might have known their families,” Lee told CBS News Texas. “We just wanted to be good neighbors, that’s all.”
Fast forward to today, Lee was gifted the property for $10 with the help of several North Texas organizations, including Trinity Habitat for Humanity and Texas Capital. HistoryMaker Homes built her a new house on the property for free and JCPenney furnished it.
“Dr. Lee’s contribution to our nation through her work for racial justice cannot be understated, and we are deeply honored to have built her new home that now proudly stands where great injustices once occurred,” said Nelson Mitchell, CEO of HistoryMaker Homes.
Lee helped throughout the entire construction process, from choosing flooring to fixtures and lighting.
“With tears of sadness for past atrocities and tears of joy for this momentous occasion, we are humbled and honored to welcome our friend Opal home,” said Gage Yager, CEO of Trinity Habitat for Humanity. “There truly is no place like home!”
