[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 104 (Tuesday, July 7, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1001]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              116TH BIRTHDAY OF MS. SUSANNAH MUSHATT JONES

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                        HON. HAKEEM S. JEFFRIES

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 7, 2015

  Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of the 116th 
birthday of Ms. Susannah Mushatt Jones, who is affectionately called 
Miss Susie. Confirmed by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest 
living person, she is a beloved member of the Brooklyn community I am 
proud to represent in Congress. In recognition of her birthday, Miss 
Susie will be honored on July 7, 2015 at the Vandalia Senior Center in 
Brooklyn, NY. We revel not just the years since her birth, but the 
history she has witnessed in three separate centuries. From 
experiencing segregation in the South to being a first-hand witness of 
the Civil Rights movement in New York, we commemorate her birthday with 
awe and inspiration.
   Miss Susie was born into a large, loving family on July 6, 1899 in 
Lowndes County, Alabama as the third of eleven children. In 1923 she 
moved to New York as part of the Great Migration of African Americans 
from the rural South to cities in the North, Midwest, and West. Miss 
Susie dedicated her professional pursuits to children, first as a 
school teacher and then as a childcare provider. At one point, she 
moved to Hollywood to work for a family in the film industry. During 
her time on the west coast, she enjoyed socializing with movie stars 
and attending movie premieres. She fondly remembers meeting Ronald 
Reagan, Clark Gable, and Cary Grant.
   Family has always surrounded Miss Susie: she takes great delight in 
being an aunt to over 100 nieces and nephews. Throughout her life, she 
has brightened many lives with her positive attitude and infectious 
laugh. She resides in Vandalia Houses and was an active member of the 
Vandalia Houses Senior Center tenant patrol through her 100th birthday. 
Miss Susie credits her healthy lifestyle free of smoking and drinking 
for her longevity.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my other distinguished colleagues 
join me in celebrating Ms. Susannah Mushatt Jones on her 116th 
birthday.

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