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The famous grandma who danced with the Obamas is turning 109

She’s celebrating her birthday in style

By
March 7, 2018 at 2:57 p.m. EST

Adapted from a story by The Washington Post by Elyse Samuels.

So you think you can dance?

Try turning 109 and dancing with the Harlem Globetrotters to celebrate. Virginia McLaurin did just that.

McLaurin, a Washington, D.C. resident, became an Internet sensation in February 2016, when she met and danced with the Obamas at the White House. Video of McLaurin’s meeting with the Obamas has been viewed more than 1 million times.

Virginia McLaurin, famous for dancing with the Obamas in 2016, turns 109 on March 12. She celebrated for the third year in a row with the Harlem Globetrotters. (Video: Elyse Samuels/The Washington Post)

Born to sharecroppers in South Carolina in 1909, McLaurin lived in a time when racial segregation was still legal and women did not have the right to vote. Reflecting on her eventful life, she said, “I didn’t think I’d ever live to see a black president. That’s what made me feel so good. Joy still rings in my heart for that.”

McLaurin is also a big fan of the Harlem Globetrotters and has celebrated her birthday with them each year since becoming a celebrity. She turns 109 on March 12, and marked the occasion Tuesday with a Globetrotters-themed cake and basketball tricks at Brightwood Elementary School in Northwest Washington. The Globetrotters also donated 109 tickets to their games to underprivileged youths in her honor. McLaurin was a foster grandmother to city youths for more than 20 years.

When asked what the secret is to such a long life, McLaurin said, “Just being nice and loving people is the best I know how.”