106 Year Old Spelman Graduate Reflects On A Century Of Style And Sisterhood

The homecoming festivities within the Atlanta University Center concluded as Spelman and Morehouse College celebrated their cherished tradition.There’s an unmistakable vibrancy as current students and alumni unite on campus for the festivities. One individual who embodies this sentiment more than most is Annie Jewel Moore, the oldest living alumna of Spelman.In September, Moore marked her remarkable 106th birthday, graduating from Spelman in 1943 with a degree in economics. “During my time, we were facing the challenges of war,” she reflected.Post-graduation, Moore became one of the pioneering Black women to delve into fashion design at Paris’ Ecole Guerre Lavigne and the New York Fashion Academy, later opening her own boutique, Ann Moore Couturiere, in Detroit in 1951.Her groundbreaking work caught the attention of Vogue in 1953, and she recalled the challenges she faced as an African American designer in the fashion industry. Moore emphasized the importance of friendship and laughter as the key to her longevity.