Woman honored by Obama celebrates 107th

Metro Atlanta

Woman honored by Obama celebrates 107th

Photos: Ann Nixon Cooper, who gained fame when she was mentioned in Barack Obama's election night speech, celebrated her 107th birhday in Atlanta recently.

Many friends and family members crowded into Ann Nixon Cooper's home on Sunday to help her celebrate her 107th birthday. She gained fame when she was prominently mentioned in Barack Obama's election night speech. Rob Lewis greets her in her living room.

Ann Nixon Cooper of Atlanta , born in 1902, will see the first African American inaugurated as president of the United States.

Ann Nixon Cooper, age 22, in 1924.

The party was at Cooper's house in Atlanta. Arriving, in foreground, is Charles Kendall.

James Davis stirs spinach dip in the kitchen before guests arrive.

Ann Nixon Cooper's eyes light up as she enters the dining room and spots her birthday cake. Helping her in the white jacket is her caregiver, Katrinka Davis.

Cooper cuts the cake. At the party were members from her church, First Congregation United Church of Christ.

On election night Cooper talked about Obama's presidential victory: "I never thought we'd see that happen. I always thought it would be a white man. Now I see that things can change and I'm glad to know it."

"She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky, when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin," the president-elect said Tuesday night.

At home the day after the historic election, Cooper was unfazed by all the worldwide media attention. On all the strangers in her home: "It's not that unusual. This has always been a house where people come to gather." Here, she is assisted by caregiver James Davis.

In Cooper's living room hangs a photo of her as a young woman.

The Obama campaign became aware of Cooper when CNN featured her early voting with Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin in late October. The next day, Obama called her.

Is Cooper a celebrity? "Oh, no. I wouldn't think of myself that way," she said.

Cooper points to herself in a photo that includes Coretta Scott King (center-right).

Cooper posed for this photo with former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young. "I've had all the excitement one could expect when something like this happens," Cooper said of her mention by Obama. "It's been real nice."

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Many friends and family members crowded into Ann Nixon Cooper's home on Sunday to help her celebrate her 107th birthday. She gained fame when she was prominently mentioned in Barack Obama's election night speech. Rob Lewis greets her in her living room.

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