BIOGRAPHY

Juanita Mitchell was born in Louisiana, USA on 15 December 1911 to William Carrere and Cinderella Cannon. In 1919, at the age of 7, she moved to Chicago, Illinois with her mother and younger sister, Iona. They moved in with her aunt and uncle, Beulah and Cecil White. They were staying in the house near the corner of 35th Street and Giles Avenue, and soon witnessed the Red Summer unrest in the city.

Mitchell graduated from Hyde Park High School and worked as a seamstress and a schoolteacher before getting married. She had two children (a son and a daughter). She lived in Chicago until 1996, when she moved to Flossmoor.

Her daughter attributed her mother’s longevity to her faith and active lifestyle.

Mitchell passed away in Flossmoor, Illinois, USA, on 4 August 2023, after suffering from a stroke, at the age of 111 years, 232 days.

RECOGNITION

Her age was validated by LongeviQuest on 29 June 2023.

At the time of death, she was the second-oldest known living person in the U.S. state of Illinois, behind Susie Lewis (born 11 August 1911).

ATTRIBUTION

* “‘Ready to explode’: How a black teen’s drifting raft triggered a deadly week of riots 100 years ago in Chicago” – Chicago Tribune, 21 July 2019

* “Chicago woman shares secret to living on her 108th birthday” – ABC7 Chicago, 14 December 2019

* “One of Illinois’ finest residents shares secret to longevity at 110th birthday bash” – Chicago Sun-Times, 19 December 2021

* “Six women, all over 100 years old, celebrate Mother’s Day at South Loop fashion show brunch” – Chicago Sun-Times, 14 May 2023

* “Oldest person in IL dies, Juanita Mitchell, at 111 after suffering stroke, family says” – ABC7 Chicago, 5 August 2023

GALLERY