Times and conventions are always changing, which can only be a good thing as we strive towards a more enlightened tomorrow.
Martha Mae Ophelia Moon Tucker, a 94-year-old lady who was allowed to achieve a longstanding ambition of donning a traditional wedding gown… some 70 years after she was denied the chance to wear one in 1952, can speak to the benefits of cultural change.
Tucker, according to sources, was one of many victims of racial segregation legislation in the 1950s. She resided in Alabama, where Black people were not permitted to attend wedding boutiques at the time.
She believes she speaks for all of them when she thanks God for the various changes that have occurred during the last half-century or more.
Angela Strozier, Tucker’s granddaughter, surprised her grandma with a bridal gown fitting on July 3 of this year (2021).
The next day, Angela published their poignant story on her Facebook page, and unexpectedly, many others experienced bittersweet delight in reading it.
Angela said that she and her grandma were watching “Coming to America” when the grandmother leaned over and whispered something in her ear.
Tucker told her granddaughter that she always wanted to try on a bridal gown, when she married, she didn’t have one.
Angela added that during that time, Jim Crow law was alive and in colour, and regrettably, segregation was the way of life. As a result of her being a Black American, she was not permitted to enter white institutions.
Tucker wedded her late husband Lehman Tucker Sr. in a navy-blue gown that became renowned as a “Carmen Jones” gown rather than a traditional wedding gown.
Tucker was also compelled to depend on the white woman whose house she worked at in 1952 to purchase the clothing for her.
Posted by Erica Tucker on Saturday, July 3, 2021
Angela took action after hearing her grandmother’s heartbreaking tragedy. Angela planned a surprise wedding-dress fitting at David’s Bridal store in Hoover, Alabama, only days after the discovery, complete with a makeover by a make-up artist!
Tucker expressed that she glanced in the mirror and wondered who that was. She was so thrilled and felt fantastic. It felt just like she was getting married.
Angela stated that her grandma was “overwhelmed with delight” at the opportunity to put on the dress (she was apparently drawn to a low V-neck and embroidered waistline.)
Angela explained that she’s always made sacrifices to offer from the bottom of her heart. It was precious to return a gift from her heart to her grandmother.
Tucker, a mom of four, grandmother of eleven, and great-grandmother of eighteen, was a prominent figure in the notorious civil rights struggle. Her activities lasted an astounding 11 political regimes, starting with President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Angela quipped after the avalanche of favourable feedback on her grandmother’s dress-fitting: Now she’s wondering, ‘Do you think Oprah may call her?’ to which Angela responded that she does not think so.
Amazing! Such beautiful stories have touched the heart beyond belief! I believe we could all use a bit more news like this in our life to offset the bad that appears to be pervasive in the world.
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