Virginia McLaurin, the 113-year-old loving woman who went viral for dancing when she met President Obama and First Lady Obama in the Oval Office, has passed away Monday.
According to a statement from her family on Facebook, the centenarian had been under hospice care and died at home. “She lived an incredibly full life and appreciated all the love she received…. She had an extraordinary memory, sharing stories of family’s life as sharecroppers in South Carolina before traveling north in the Great Migration.”
McLaurin, who was 106 years old when she finally met the first Black president, went viral after she broke out into a two-step with former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. The video has been viewed on the White House Facebook page 70 million times.
Upon meeting them during a Black History Month reception in February 2016, McLaurin had the most joy-filled smile.
"Hi!" McLaurin squealed as she was introduced to the president.
"You want to say hi to Michelle?" Obama asked.
"Yes!" McLaurin said, moving quickly to give the first lady a hug.
You May Also Like
"Slow down now!" the president said. "Don't go too quick."
The women then held hands as they went into an impromptu dance, the president holding McLaurin's arm.
"I thought I would never live to get in the White House," she said. "And I tell you, I am so happy.
"A Black president. A Black wife! And I'm here to celebrate Black history. Yeah, that's what I'm here for."
The Obamas offered their condolences to McLaurin in a joint tweet on Tuesday.
"Rest in peace, Virginia. We know you're up there dancing," they wrote.
Rest in peace, Virginia. We know you’re up there dancing. pic.twitter.com/y31XQ8MdPC
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 15, 2022
Accoring to NPR.org, Deborah Menkart, a friend who helped arrange McLaurin's 2016 visit, said it dramatically changed her life. She said McLaurin was living "very frugally" at the time but her fame spurred people to donate to a care fund for her.
"She got a new wig, she got new teeth, she was able to move to a better apartment," Menkart said.
Later that year McLaurin appeared at a Washington Nationals baseball game and was presented with a team jersey on the field.
McLaurin also used her fame to help others.
Born March 12, 1909, in South Carolina without a birth certificate, McLaurin had been unable to get an ID card. Shortly after the White House visit, Menkart suggested they contact the mayor's office and the Washington Post, which interviewed her and published a story.
Washington city officials soon issued her a temporary card and announced new regulations giving residents 70 and older more options to get IDs.
"It changed her life for not only herself, but also the clout she had," Menkart said.
Although she was best known for her White House visit, her loved ones said McLaurin lived a life of service, even as she grew older.
"As she shared in her interviews with the media following the visit to the White House, she volunteered as a UPO foster grandparent and collaborated with other tenants in the fight for quality living conditions," a GoFundMe for a memorial fund in her name said. "She was a devoted member of her church. During the pandemic, she viewed services regularly via YouTube."
