“I thought I would never live to get in the White House” ~ Virginia McLaurin
On November 14, 2022, community activist, volunteer, and supercentenarian, Virginia Lugenia McLaurin passed away at age of 113, in Olney, Maryland. She became famous when a video was made public of her dancing with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at a Black History event held at the White House in 2016. McLaurin has received Community Volunteer Service Awards from several Washington DC mayors and the President’s Volunteer Service Award.
McLaurin was born in Cheraw, South Carolina on March 12, 1909, to a sharecropping family. At a very young age, she had to work with her family picking cotton, thus only able to complete primary school. McLaurin’s first marriage was at age 13 and shortly after, the couple relocated to New Jersey. Unfortunately, when her husband was killed, she relocated again to Washington, DC. McLaurin was very active as a volunteer at local schools, a foster grandparent, and an advocate for voting.