BIOGRAPHY

Effie Beulah Kennedy was born in Enterprise, Clarke County, Mississippi on 15 October 1891, the youngest of 11 siblings born to a syrup-maker father and a midwife mother. From an early age, she worked on her family’s farm, picking pecans, potatoes, and cotton. She attended Wechsler School, a school for black students in Mississippi’s then-segregated school system. While she didn’t complete her formal schooling, her parents made sure that she was able to read and write by providing her with a primer book. She additionally received musical training as a child, and took piano lessons for several years, leading to her playing for gospel choirs across multiple churches. Her favorite song to play was What a Friend we Have in Jesus.

She married for the first time at the age of 17, and had two children with her first husband. She eventually saved up enough money to purchase a plot of land near Hattiesburg, where she farmed a small pecan orchard, selling what she grew in shops for 10 cents per pound. She later married for a second time, and had another three children; she would end up outliving all five of her children. In 1976, she moved to Coahoma, Mississippi, settling in the Clarksdale area. At the time of her 105th birthday, she was still living in her own home and was able to walk with the assistance of a walking frame. By the time of her 109th birthday, she had moved into a nursing home, but remained healthy both mentally and physically. She enjoyed playing bingo, watching westerns on television, and ate three to four slices of bacon every morning with breakfast. Although all her children were deceased, she maintained a close relationship with her daughter-in-law, who frequently visited her.

She passed away in Clarksdale, Coahoma, Mississippi on 23 January 2002, at the age of 110. She was survived by her daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.

RECOGNITION

Her age was verified by Jimmy Lindberg, and was validated by LongeviQuest on 23 April 2024.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Area woman marks 105th birthday” – Clarksdale Press Register, 21 October 1996
* “Look out, 109” – Clarksdale Press Register, 15 October 1999
* “Happy 109!” – Clarksdale Press Register, 12 October 2000
* “Eleven decades” – Clarksdale Press Register, 9 November 2001

GALLERY