Hilton Head Native, whose development struggles made headlines, dies at 94

A 94-year-old woman who was in the middle of a legal battle with a developer to keep her family’s ancestral land on Hilton Head Island, S.C., has died.

Hilton Head matriarch Josephine Wright died on Jan. 7 surrounded by her family and other loved ones, her granddaughter, Charise Graves, wrote on a GoFundMe page created to raise money for her legal battle.

The company that owns the project next door to her property, Bailey Point Investment, had sued Ms Wright for trespass in February 2023. The company said its satellite dish, shed and screened porch encroached on the land, which had “significantly delayed and hindered” development.

The lawsuit followed decades of land acquisitions that had displaced black families with close ties to Hilton Head as tourism grew, with golf courses and waterfront vacation homes. The status of the case could not immediately be determined Tuesday. Attorneys for both parties were not immediately available for comment.

Mrs Wright previously told The Times that her husband inherited the four-acre estate from his parents, and it was transferred into her name after he died in 1998. It has been a gathering place and a place of memories for Mrs. Wright’s seven children. , 40 grandchildren, 50 great-grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

“Her legacy as a pillar of strength, wisdom and commitment to justice will forever be etched in our hearts,” Ms. Graves wrote of her grandmother.

Ms. Wright’s legal battle attracted the attention of celebrities, including Snoop Dogg and Kyrie Irving. Snoop Dogg donated $10,000 to the fundraiser, and Kyrie Irving donated $40,000.

Actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry offered his condolences to Ms Wright’s family in a speech Instagram postsaid he was “heartbroken” when he heard of her death.

“You ran your race and fought an incredible fight!” He wrote. “Have a good trip, my dear lady. You have inspired me.”