Memphis to celebrate Tom Lee’s legacy on Oct. 3

Brayel Brown | WREG

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Mark your calendars because on October 3, hundreds of lanterns will light the sky at a celebration for a man who saved nearly three dozen people from a sinking steamboat on the Mississippi River in 1925.

As the community prepares to celebrate, WREG spoke with the great-niece of Tom Lee about his legacy.

One act of courage can live on for generations. Next month, Tom Lee’s legacy will light up the riverfront as Memphians gather to celebrate his selflessness.

“Hero is a four-letter word but its a big word right? And in the terms of Tom Lee he was someone who saved 32 people in the Mississippi River,” said Charmeal Neely-Alexander, Tome Lee’s great-niece.

If you visited downtown, chances are you’ve seen the bronze statue of Tom Lee standing along the river at Tom Lee Park.

The landmark honors the day, May 8, 1925, when Lee, who was just 39 years old, single-handedly saved a group of engineers after their steamboat sank and capsized just south of downtown Memphis.

Lee’s descendants say heroism isn’t limited to saving lives; it’s choosing to make a difference no matter how big or small. 

“We all have that in us. How we get it out of ourselves, that’s an individual situation,” said Neely-Alexander.

After putting his own life at risk to save others, Lee was quickly recognized as a hero and was celebrated at the White House by President Calvin Coolidge.

The engineers he saved raised money and bought him a house in North Memphis, which still stands.

In 1954, a park was named in his honor, and a monument to him was built there. His great-niece says moving the celebration to October rather than the actual day of the rescue allows for the community to turn their attention to who Lee was. 

“We’re going into the heroism of an individual. So, the city of Memphis is a jewel, and one day we will realize that,” said Neely-Alexander.

So, 101 years after his bravery, the community of Memphis is still keeping his legacy alive with a celebration on Tom Lee Day, October 3.  Eventgoers will be able to make their own lantern, attend a parade, and hear from the family of this unforgettable hero, all happening at Tom Lee Park.