Harris Lee Sr.

In the oral history transcript below, Harris Lee Sr. discusses his family's roots on the Reservation, the vibrant Black community that grew on the banks of the York River in the years following the Civil War. He recalls his grandfather, James Monroe Lee, who was enslaved and then worked as a tenant farmer before securing his own land, and his father, Humphrey Lee's work as an oysterer. He remembers how his family's lives and community were disrupted when the U.S. government commandeered their land to build the Navy Mine Depot, now known as the Naval Weapons Station, Yorktown.

Mr. Lee also recalls working at the Naval Weapons Station after moving off the Reservation and recounts how dangerous the work was. He also discusses his community involvement, including his role in the James City County Democratic Committee.