Happy birthday, Alelia Murphy......
Alelia Murphy greets partygoers at her birthday celebration in Harlem.
Amazing Facts.....
Alelia Murphy has lived to see 114 birthdays, but this year's celebration may top them all.
To honor the oldest living person in the United States, officials in Harlem, New York, threw her a neighborhood-wide birthday bash on Friday with a unique gift: From now on, the community will recognize July 6, her birthday, as "Alelia Murphy Appreciation Day."
State Sen. Brian Benjamin presented Murphy with a framed poster and a copy of the declaration. During his remarks, Benjamin called Murphy a "Harlem landmark" and thanked her for her contributions to the community.
Born in North Carolina in 1905, the supercentenarian -- someone who's at least 110 -- has called Harlem home since 1926, when she moved to the Manhattan borough during the peak of its cultural renaissance. Years of involvement with community organizations and the church made her a local icon.
She was widowed in 1953 and supported her two children as a seamstress for most of her life.
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