By: Natiece Ford
“Lee was a constant regardless. I think that will be his legacy.” That is how Commisioner of Dallas John Wiley Price described Civil Rights activist Lee Alcorn. Lee Alcorn has been a pillar in his community fighting discrimination at every turn, with many describing him as in your face about the issues. Pastor Kyev Tatum of New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church described Mr. Alcorn as “the greatest Civil Rights leader in Texas.” For decades Lee Alcorn was a warrior for equality, fearlessly challenging deep racism in Grand Prairie and beyond.
D. Lee Alcorn, born July 23rd 1937 in Ledbetter, Texas and served in the United States Air Force as a Cryptologist for 4 years, afterwards he would go on to graduate from the University of Texas Medical School of Radiology and Technology where he would go on to head the Radiology Department of the VA hospital encouraging Black men and women to become radiology techs ensuring that there would be people of color in positions where there otherwise would have been none. In 1995 Lee Alcorn would retire as the Radiology Manager from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
Mr. Alcorn would go on to found the Grand Prairie NAACP chapter in 1984 where he took up the charge of ensuring that the Confederate Flag did not fl y in Grand Prairiee. Despite threats of backlash Alcorn stood firm, he also fought to have Grand Prairie become a single member district which would make it easier for Black people to hold office in Grand Prairie. Mr. Alcorn was clear about what he wanted his legacy to be, “ I wanted everyone to be treated right and I don’t want anyone to be discriminated against because of their skin color.” When asked what advice he could give to young activists Mr. Alcorn expressed for young people to “ stand up for what you know is right because a lot of black people will not fight for their own rights.”
In many ways, Alcorn’d battles in Grand Prairie laid the groundwork for today’s social justice movements. As the nation continues to wrestle with the legacy of Confederate symbols and fights for more inclusive representation, his efforts to bring about single member districts stand as a testament to the power of local activists’ ability to spark lasting change.
Aft er resigning from the NAACP in 2000 (which many like Pastor Tatum did not attribute to White suprema-cists but to members within his own community), Mr. Alcorn founded the coalition for the Advancement of Civil Rights and on his 84th birthday Mayor Ron Jensen of Grand Prairie proclaimed July 23, 2021, as D. Lee Alcorn Day.
In 2021 community leaders of Grand Prairie petitioned the school board to rename South Grand Prairie High School aft er Mr. Alcorn which has yet to happen. Lee Alcorn still lives in Grand Prairie with his wife Rhonda Alcorn.
