Levi Grant was born in Monticello, Florida, on July 7, 1918. He was the tenth of twenty children born to the holy union of Deacon Ezekiel Grant, Sr. (d. 1979) and Mother Ardonia Jones Grant (d. 1959). Levi moved to Mims, Florida, with his family and attended Mims Colored Elementary School.

He was converted at an early age under the pastorage of the late moderator Pastor James Massey and became a member of Greater Saint James Missionary Baptist Church, where he sang in the junior and senior choir.

As a devout and religious young man, Levi not only exemplified impeccable style and captivating good looks but also earned the prestigious title of a "fashionable and revered icon." His commitment to his faith only heightened the admiration he received from his family.

On November 4, 1938, Levi married Juanita Ella Brown, his childhood sweetheart, at the courthouse in Bartow, Florida. Juanita was born on June 26, 1922, in the Stockdale Quarters of Mims, Florida. Juanita attended high school in Lakeland, where she lived with her aunt. Upon Levi and Juanita's marriage, their family recognized them as not only exceptionally attractive but also as a couple who radiated a remarkable sense of compatibility, earning genuine admiration from everyone.

Levi and Juanita were blessed with one daughter, Leola Elvira Grant, named after Juanita's sister Leola. Levi gave Leola the middle name "Elvi," intending to combine the first two characters of Juanita's middle name with the last two characters of his own, "Elvi." However, the birth certificate came back with "Elvira."

After their marriage, the couple lived with Levi's sister Fay Belle in Mims until they were able to move into their own home on Palmetto Avenue (now known as Harry T. Moore Avenue, in honor of slain civil rights leader Harry T. Moore).

Seeking better opportunities to support his family than working in the orange groves, Levi and his family moved to Tampa, Florida, where he worked in the shipyards. In 1945, they relocated to Miami, Florida, and joined Friendship Baptist Church in Liberty City, under the pastorage of the late Reverend I. W. Ross, where they both sang in the choir. Levi and Juanita also lived in Brownsville (also known as Brown Sub), where they became members of Mt. Tabor Missionary Baptist Church in Liberty City, led by the late Reverend Byrd. Once again, Levi and Juanita joined the senior choir, under the late Roscoe and Isabelle Blue, who served as the pianist and director. While in Miami, Levi worked at various places, but he was employed at Nolan Brown Cadillac Motors on Biscayne Boulevard from 1949 until his death on February 9, 1976.