Being African American born in 1909, you can imagine just how hard things were back then. From Jim Crow, to miseducation to outright denial of any rights, voting wasn’t even a thought back then.
But 1947 was the first time that 107-year-old Donella Wilson let her voice be heard and cast her first vote. Now in 2016, she is in her 13 election and is more excited than ever. And yes, she’s voting for Hilary Clinton.
“I’m looking for her to be our first female President,” Wilson says. “I think it’s an honor, a precious gift from God.”
Wilson was one of many waiting in line back in the 1940s to cast her vote – the same year Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected. She’s lived through numerous recessions, incredible advances in technology of course seeing the first Black president being elected as well.
“Ohhh so proud and thankful, more thankful and proud thank God for him,” she says.
“I never thought that I will live to see a day like this, I’m over 100 years old,” Wilson says.
Born to parents who were slaves in Calhoun County, Wilson says casting her vote in this year’s election is not only for her, but those who came before her.
“We couldn’t spell vote. We didn’t know what the word meant other that we had an opportunity to say something and cast a vote, praying as we go along that the vote could count to help us as a Negro race,” Wilson tells WIS-TV in Columbia, South Carolina.
But she knew that once she was given a chance to let her voice be heard, she had to cast her vote. And since that day in 1947, she’s never missed a national or local election.
“I’m happy that I lived this long to see that we could be voting and the voting be counted,” Wilson says.
To find out where your polling place is, click here.
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