106-year-old Atlanta woman basks in Obama tribute

[babylonsister]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CENTENARIAN_VOTER?SITE=DCSAS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Nov 5, 6:05 PM EST

106-year-old Atlanta woman basks in Obama tribute

By ERRIN HAINES
Associated Press Writer
AP Photo

AP Photo/John Bazemore


ATLANTA (AP) -- At age 106, Ann Nixon Cooper doesn't usually stay awake past midnight. But on Election Night she had special reason to do so: She was waiting for Barack Obama to mention her name. Cooper, one of the oldest voters for the nation's first black president, had been tipped off by the Obama campaign that she would be mentioned in his acceptance speech. Toward the end, she got her moment.

"I was waiting for it," said Cooper. "I had heard that they would be calling my name at least."

Obama introduced the world to a woman who "was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin."

"Tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can," he said.

snip//

Her husband died in 1967. Cooper has outlived three of her four children and lived to see women gain the right to vote and the end of segregation. On Oct. 16, she voted early for the Illinois senator, who called to thank her after reading a news article about her.

Cooper said she believes Obama's win could finally signal the change she has been waiting for.

"I feel nothing but relief that things have changed as much as they have," she said. "After a while, we will all be one. That's what I look forward to."

Cooper turns 107 in January, just a few weeks before Obama's inauguration.

[codjh9]

1. That's so cool. I either heard her or the 109-yr-old woman this morning on NPR

[CitizenLeft]

2. I saw a report about her on CNN about 2 weeks ago...

...what's the young anchor's name, Lemons? He visited her, and cameras were there when she voted. She made me cry - she reminds me of my Mom, and my aunt and their generation. So inspiring to me.

[babylonsister]

3. I saw that interview, too. It was sweet. nt

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

7. Yes I saw the report too! It was touching!

And it represent my happiness about this election.

The anchor's name is Don Lemon, highly underrated on CNN. I watch him all the time.

THIS IS AMAZING!

[Blue_Roses]

4. it would be so cool if she could attend his inauguration

[demnan]

5. She should come up for the Inauguration as a VIP or something

I must say, she looks really good for her age - beautiful skin. I hope she enjoys this moment in the limelight.

[The Wielding Truth]

6. babylonsister, how do you find the best posts? Thank you.

:applause:

[roguevalley]

12. she reminded me of aunts. So much dignity and so pretty.

[BrklynLiberal]

8. Damn..she looks great for 106+

[SoonerPride]

9. I keep reading things that make me cry.

Damn it feels so good to shed tears of joy again.

[Life Long Dem]

10. That's determination for you.

Thank God, for woman like her.

[cui bono]

11. Aw... how touching. Excuse me while I go get a tissue...

:loveya:

[Omnibus]

13. I hope she'll vote for him again in 4 years.

:D

[merkins]

14. 109-Year-Old Amanda Jones (Daughter of Slave)

This lady deserves a shout-out as well.

'Born in 1899, the former housewife and cleaning lady has lived in three centuries. They were three centuries of struggle from her father's oppression as a slave in Texas to her own battle for equality.

Story and video at the link:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=6153625&page=1

[Hope And Change]

15. K & R!