27/09/2026
She was born a year and a half before the Titanic sank. She just turned 116, and she still remembers the songs she sang as a child.
Naomi Whitehead, the oldest living person in the United States, celebrated her 116th birthday on September 26, 2026, at her home in Greenville, Pennsylvania. She was born Naomi Washington on a farm near Patterson, Georgia, on September 26, 1910, during the presidency of William Howard Taft, a year and a half before the Titanic sank.
She became the oldest living American on October 22, 2024, following the death of Elizabeth Francis. In February 2026, she became the second-oldest living person in the world, behind only Ethel Caterham of the United Kingdom.
Her hometown of Patterson kicked off the celebration early. Mayor Dedi Thomas and members of the Patterson Historical Commission presented a plaque to Whitehead during a reception at Eagle Station. Her nephew, retired educator Daniel Washington, accepted the award on her behalf. About a dozen family members made the trip to Pennsylvania to see her on her birthday, bringing a commemorative card signed by everyone who attended the hometown event.
Whitehead is known for her excellent memory and her gift for singing hymns. Her favorite was Take Your Burden to the Lord and Leave It There, a gospel classic written by Charles Albert Tindley.
Family members credit her faith, along with a lifetime of discipline and healthy living, for helping her reach 116. They say she never smoked, rarely sat idle, and always placed God at the center of her life.
She outlived her husband, Sylvester Whitehead, who died in 1979, and all three of her sons. After the death of her last surviving son in 2011, she moved to Pennsylvania, where she now lives at St. Paul's Senior Living Community near Greenville.
She has witnessed two world wars, the moon landings, the dawn of the internet, and the rise of artificial intelligence. She was already 100 years old when the first iPhone went on sale.
At 116, Naomi Whitehead is still here. Still singing. Still remembered by the town where she was born. Still the oldest American.
