Nationwide — Two African American women from Mississippi, Lizzie Adkins and Amanda Page, turned 100 together and celebrated the occasion at a senior center in Tampa, Florida. Surrounded by family, friends, and community members, the centenarians marked the milestone with music, poetry, and heartfelt tributes.
Adkins, born on September 10, 1925, and Page, born on December 29, 1925, were honored at the Progress Village Senior Center. The celebration featured a choir performance, poetry readings, and stories highlighting their shared roots in Mississippi and their decades-long journeys filled with faith and family.
Adkins spent her early years in Georgia, where she finished high school before marrying and raising three children. She later remarried in 1950 and remained with her husband until his passing in 1988. Now the grandmother of seven, she continues to stay active as a member of the First Baptist Church of Progress Village in Tampa. Her daughter, Barbara Grant, said her mother visits the senior center every day, calling it her favorite place to spend time.
Page’s life took her from Mississippi to Memphis after high school, where she married and had two children. In 1951, her family moved to Chicago, where she earned a diploma in secretarial science and speedwriting from Peters Business College. She went on to work for the U.S. Treasury Department, typing hundreds of checks daily, before finishing her career at the V.A. Research Hospital. She retired in 1988.
That same year, Page relocated to Tampa to be closer to her family. She now spends her time at the Progress Village Senior Center, joining activities and using her computer to design greeting cards for her loved ones.
At the celebration, Page expressed her gratitude for reaching 100 years, saying, “I feel great. I feel blessed, and I thank God every minute.” She shared her secret to longevity: “Be true to yourself, be faithful, and love God.”