Susannah Mushatt Jones facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Susannah Mushatt Jones
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Susannah Mushatt Jones at age 114
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| Born |
Susannah Mushatt
July 6, 1899 Lowndes County, Alabama, U.S.
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| Died | May 12, 2016 (aged 116 years, 311 days) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Oldest living person (June 17, 2015 – May 12, 2016) |
| Spouse(s) |
Henry Jones
(m. 1928; div. 1933) |
| Parent(s) | Callie & Mary Mushatt |
Susannah Mushatt Jones (born July 6, 1899 – died May 12, 2016) was an American woman who lived to be very old. She was known as a supercentenarian, which means someone who lives past 110 years old. At 116 years and 311 days, she was the oldest person alive in the world. She was also the last American person born in the 1800s.
Susannah received special honors from the United States government. Both the United States House of Representatives and the Alabama House of Representatives praised her. They recognized her for her "remarkable lifetime of exceptional achievement."
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About Susannah Mushatt Jones
Susannah Mushatt was born on July 6, 1899, in Lowndes County, Alabama. She was the third child and the oldest girl in a family of eleven children. Her parents were African-American farmers. They were called sharecroppers, meaning they farmed land owned by someone else. Her grandparents also farmed the same land. Her family also believed she had some Native American ancestors.
Early Life and Education
When Susannah was young, she worked hard in the fields. She later said she was determined to find a different kind of job. In 1922, she finished high school at the Calhoun Colored School. Her graduation papers showed she had studied "Negro Music in France."
After high school, Susannah wanted to become a teacher. She was accepted into the Teacher's Program at Tuskegee Institute. However, her parents could not afford the school fees. So, in 1923, she moved to New York City. This was during the early years of the Harlem Renaissance, a time when African-American art and culture grew in Harlem.
Life in New York
In 1928, Susannah married Henry Jones. They divorced in 1933. She later said she did not know what happened to him. Susannah never had any children.
She worked for rich families, taking care of their children. She earned about $7 a week. With her earnings, she helped many of her relatives who also moved to New York. She also used some of her money to start The Calhoun Club. This club provided scholarships for African-American students at her old high school. Susannah was also very active in her neighborhood for nearly 30 years. She was part of a "tenant patrol team" that helped keep the community safe.
In 1965, Susannah retired from work. She then lived with her niece, Lavilla Watson, and helped care for Lavilla's baby son. When Susannah passed away, she was living at the Vandalia Senior Center in East New York, Brooklyn. She had more than 100 nieces and nephews.
Health and Daily Habits
Susannah Jones became legally blind when she was 100 years old. She was also partly deaf. She did not speak much and used a wheelchair to get around. Besides a daily multivitamin, she only took medicine for high blood pressure.
She chose not to have eye surgery for cataracts. She also turned down a recommended pacemaker for her heart. She never had common health screenings like a mammogram or a colonoscopy. She saw a doctor a few times a year.
Susannah never smoked cigarettes or drank alcohol. She usually slept for about ten hours each night. She also took naps during the day. For breakfast, she always ate four strips of bacon, scrambled eggs, and grits. She also ate bacon at other times of the day.
In 2022, scientists studied Susannah Mushatt Jones. They found that her positive attitude about getting older might have helped her live so long.
Her Final Years
Susannah Jones celebrated her last five birthdays at the Vandalia Senior Center in Brooklyn. For her 112th birthday, she received special letters. These letters were from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. After the party, she said, "I wish it could be like this all the time."
Susannah celebrated her 114th birthday a few days late. Her family, friends, and the Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes praised her many achievements. On her 115th birthday, her niece, Lois Judge, told a TV station that Susannah "gets tired easily these days." But she added that it had been a good day. Susannah did not speak at this celebration. Her great-great niece, a baby also named Susannah, was there too.
On June 17, 2015, Susannah became the world's oldest living person. This happened after Jeralean Talley passed away. At that time, Susannah and an Italian woman named Emma Morano were the only two people left who were born in the 1800s. Just three days before her 116th birthday, Susannah received a certificate from Guinness World Records. It officially recognized her as the oldest person alive.
Susannah Jones passed away peacefully in her sleep on May 12, 2016. She was 116 years and 311 days old. After her death, Emma Morano became the world's oldest living person. Emma was also the very last person alive who was born in the 1800s.
See also
In Spanish: Susannah Mushatt Jones para niños
