America's oldest person is celebrating a milestone birthday.
Naomi Whitehead, the oldest living person in the country and the second-oldest person globally, celebrated her 116th birthday on Sept. 27 in Greenville, Pennsylvania according to LongeviQuest, a supercentenarian research organization that keeps track of the world’s oldest people. Whitehead became the oldest living person in the country at the age of 114 years and 26 days on Oct. 22, 2024, following the death of Elizabeth Francis at 115.
On Feb. 10, she became the second-oldest living person behind only Ethel Caterham (United Kingdom), following the death of France's Marie-Rose Tessier.
Whitehead’s 116th birthday was marked by a large celebration that also served as a family reunion, with
relatives from across the U.S. in attendance, LongeviQuest said. About 80 to 90 people, including several of the supercentenarian's great-great-great-grandchildren, attended the party organized by two of her grandchildren, who reside locally. Pennsylvania state Sen. Michele Brooks also attended the celebration and presented Whitehead a proclamation in her honor.
During the celebrations, Whitehead mingled with guests and took photos before posing for a big group photo with everyone in attendance. While Whitehead herself was dressed in a sparkling blue outfit for her milestone birthday, family members wore matching blue shirts with a photo of the birthday girl alongside a gold "116" created especially for the occasion.
'I think I'm 116'
Photos of Whitehead through the years were displayed throughout the venue, while additional photographs of her decorated her large birthday cake. Party goers feasted on homestyle meal that included chicken, ham, green beans, macaroni and cheese, pasta with meatballs, baked beans and punch prepared by Whitehead’s granddaughter.
One of the afternoon's most memorable moments was when one of Whitehead’s great-nieces asked her age to which she replied, "I think I’m 116," sending everyone cheering.
After the proclamation honoring her was read, Whitehead retired to her room, though the celebrations continued.
The gathering also gave the family an opportunity to preserve its history, with a great-niece spending her time collecting family stories and histories from those in attendance. LongeviQuest, whose representatives were also in attendance, presented Whitehead with a plaque recognizing her as the oldest living American.
Naomi Whitehead was born Naomi Washington on a farm in Georgia on Sept. 26, 1910. From an early age, she began helping her family picking cotton and tobacco. In 1930, she married Sylvester Whitehead and the couple had three sons together: Parrish L., who died in 2011, Elbert and Sylvester.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: America's oldest person is another year older
