Edith Renfrow Smith | |
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Born | Edith Renfrow July 14, 1914 (age 110 years, 102 days) Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. |
Spouse |
Henry T. Smith (m. 1940) |
Children | 2 |
Edith Renfrow Smith (born July 14, 1914) is an American woman and supercentenarian who was the first African American woman to graduate from Grinnell College, in Grinnell, Iowa.[1] She is a granddaughter of slaves.[2] At age 108, she was designated a "superager" in a study by Northwestern University for her remarkable memory and longevity. In 2019, at the age of 105, she was given an honorary degree from Grinnell College.[3] In 2022, Grinnell College announced it would name a new residence hall in her honor.[4] Renfrow Hall is scheduled to open in the fall of 2024. As of April 2023,[update] Edith is still living in Chicago.