The beginning: Demolition of Southside center clears way for National Juneteenth Museum
Opal Lee’s dream has always been to educate all Americans about Juneteenth — the day freedom reached the remainder of enslaved people in Texas on June 19, 1865.
The Fort Worth advocate’s vision became a reality when President Joe Biden signed a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday in 2021.
Now, another dream of creating a hub to educate people about this crucial piece of American history is finally taking shape.
On Oct. 7, Fort Worth officials, state representatives and community leaders gathered to witness the demolition of the Southside Community Center, clearing the way for the upcoming 50,000-square-foot National Juneteenth Museum.
The ceremony coincided with the Grandmother of Juneteenth’s 100th birthday.
“This is an incredible day in the history of our movement, in the history of the Southside, in the history of the city of Fort Worth,” Juneteenth museum CEO Jarred Howard said. “This is not the end. This is the beginning.”
The Southside center’s services and programs have moved to the nearby Hazel Harvey Peace Center for Neighborhoods at 818 Missouri Ave.
Lee previously operated an early version of the Juneteenth museum in a house she inherited in Fort Worth. The museum, which closed in 2020, housed a collection of artifacts related to Black history, including local documents from past Juneteenth celebrations.
In December 2021, plans for the new national museum were formally announced with an initial goal of opening in 2026. Fundraising and land hurdles have pushed the museum’s completion date several times.
Howard said the project is now expected to break ground in the coming months, but an exact completion date was not shared.
During the demolition ceremony, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced a $3 million contribution toward the construction of the museum and the creation of a genealogy center. When completed, the center will offer visitors the opportunity to explore FamilySearch’s digital genealogical collections free of charge to find their historical records and ancestor profiles.
“For generations, slavery hid the names and stories of millions of African American ancestors. Many organizations, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are now recovering and recording these histories as an act of honor and healing,” Michael A. Dunn, General Authority Seventy of the Church, said in a news release.
The Juneteenth museum has now raised $55 million of its $70 million goal to start building.
Once construction is complete, the museum will house 10,000-square-foot galleries, a 250-seat theater, a business incubator, a black box theater and a food hall featuring local chefs and vendors.
Lee grabbed a mic to tell guests how thankful she was after the church presented its financial commitment.
“This is everybody’s contribution, so I’m going to keep on walking, keep on talking until everyone understands that this is our contribution,” she said.
State Sen. Taylor Rehmet reminded guests of how Lee’s family home in a predominantly white neighborhood was burned down by a racist mob on June 19, 1939. This time, another building is coming down, but with a diverse community gathered together, he said.
“There is nothing unpatriotic about retelling the truth about America,” Rehmet said. “Real patriotism is believing that this country is strong enough to face its history and wise enough to learn from it, and good enough to keep becoming what it promised to be.”
Mayor Mattie Parker added that the demolition serves as a redemption arc for Fort Worth.
“It’s an opportunity for forgiveness, an opportunity to start over, and importantly, to thank Dr. Opal Lee for what she represents not just for this city, but for our entire country,” she said.
As bulldozers began demolishing the roof of the Southside Community Center, a foggy, gray dust cloud surrounded the building. The smell of concrete, old wood and drywall filled the air.
Attendees didn’t watch with sadness — they cheered and documented the moment with their phones as a reminder that even though the community staple was coming down, a beacon of freedom would soon shine a new light.
“When that bulldozer strikes this building, listen carefully,” Rehmet told guests. “That is not the sound of history being demolished. That is the sound of history finally getting its foundation.”
David Moreno is the arts and culture reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org.
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