“I Could Just Die Happy” Ms. Virginia McKaurin, 113
How one lady got her dream visit to the White House.
Ms. Virginia McLaurin, a supercentenarian, was born in 1909 and had lived through many United States presidents but none were Black until Barack Obama appeared on the scene. She was a sharecropper’s daughter who had the opportunity to dance with the Obamas at the White House. Visiting the White House in 2016 was her wildest dream of never happening.
She attended the White House to be honored with the President’s Volunteer Service Award for her service to the community during a reception held for the annual Black History Month, in February 2016 and for her longevity claim.
At the age of 106, McLaurin got the visit of a lifetime when she was invited to the White House by the Obamas. Upon being introduced to the president she squealed and he asked if she wanted to say hi to Michelle. She without hesitation said yes, and moved to give the first lady a hug. Adoringly, President Obama informed her to slow down. Shortly, thereafter, the women held hands as they performed an impromptu dance as the president held her arm.
McLaurin’s visit to the White House hit social media flying and garnered international news coverage. Upon the assistance of her friend, Deborah Menkart, the visit was arranged and this one visit dramatically changed her life. McLaurin was living very frugally but due to her social media fame, many people donated to a care fund that was set up for her. This afforded her a new wig, and new teeth, and afford her to move to a better apartment according to her friend, Menkart.
Her fame continued with her appearance at a Washington Nationals baseball game where she was presented with a team jersey on the field. Her favorite team was the Harlem Globetrotters. She was a lady with a big heart who used her limited resources and sudden fame to help others.
Her fame was instrumental in her getting a long-sought ID card that had been long denied because she had no birth certificate in South Carolina when she was born on March 12, 1909. After her visit to the White House, her friend, Menkaart contacted the mayor’s office and the Washington Post interview and published her story. Washington city officials soon issued her a temporary card and announced new regulations giving residents 70 and older more options to get IDs.
Her career included being a seamstress, a domestic helper for families in Silver Spring, Maryland, and managing a laundry shop. Most notable was her volunteer service. From the early 1980s, she volunteered forty hours per week at Roots Public Charter School through AmeriCorps Seniors and joined the United Planning Organization Foster Grandparent Program in October 1994. In 2013, she received a volunteer community service award from Mayor Vincent C. Gray.
McLaurin was a parent, grandmother, great grand mother, possibly a great-great-grandmother, foster grandparent, and mentor to special-needs students, helping children with reading and social skills.
In conclusion, her testimony to longevity was that she did not allow anything to worry her, remained carefree, disregarded any worrisome situations, loved and cared for everybody, and had a big heart for kids. She died on November 14, 2022. May McLaurin rest in power! Long live her legacy and volunteer contributions as a woman who dared to be carefree and helped others.
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