‘Grandmother Of Juneteenth’ On New Home Built On Land Where Her House Stood 85 Years Ago Before Being Destroyed By Racist Mob: ‘I Could Do A Holy Dance’
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Civil rights activist Opal Lee, affectionately known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” was 12 years old when a mob of white supremacists set fire to her family’s Texas home and destroyed it 85 years ago. She plans to move into a new home built on the historic land where her residence once stood.
“I could do a holy dance, but the kids say when I try, I’m twerking, whatever that is,” Lee said in a video shared by NBC News affiliate KXAS.
On Thursday, Lee participated in a wall-raising ceremony alongside Trinity Habitat for Humanity CEO Gary Yager and several other attendees. Together, they witnessed the realization of her lifelong dream to reclaim her childhood home.
“So think about this, this is the second mob on this lot,” Yager said during the event, per KXAS.
Lee will now have a chance to make new memories in her new home, which was a gift from Trinity Habitat for Humanity, local home builder HistoryMaker Homes and Texas Capital.
“God is smiling right now,” Yager said as everyone cheered. “Hate tore the house down, and love is going to rebuild the house.”
A poster featuring Lee hangs from one of the soon-to-be-built walls, showcasing one of her renowned quotes: “If people can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love.”
She also took a moment to reflect on the significant changes in her neighborhood since the era when Black Americans were not permitted to reside there.
“Just think, when we were here, there were whites who didn’t want us here,” Lee told KXAS. “And now, there are all nationalities in this neighborhood; times have changed.”
As Blavity reported, Lee fought for Juneteenth to become a federal holiday for over 40 years to celebrate the emancipation of enslaved people in Galveston, Texas. On June 17, 2021, her hard work paid off as President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, declaring June 19 an official federal holiday.
Lee will return to her old neighborhood as a homeowner with a move-in ceremony on June 19.
“I was thinking 2025, and Juneteenth! Oh listen, all I’m bringing from my old house is my toothbrush,” Lee said.
