Richard Overton of Austin is believed to be oldest living American. He's 111 years old, a veteran of World War II, and the grandson of a slave who, upon being freed, moved from Tennessee to Texas to start a new life.

Overton's witnessed a great deal of history, and Sunday morning, he was escorted to Washington D.C. on a private jet for a special look back on how far things have come since he was young.

The Washington Post reports that Overton was recently introduced to billionaire philanthropist Robert Smith, who'd heard that Overton wished to visit the new National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C.

After a conversation Saturday with Smith and friend Allen Bergeron, Overton was surprised with a trip to the museum Sunday morning, arriving via Smith's private jet.

Overton's made headlines before. People enjoy asking him the secret to his longevity (he credits cigars, whiskey, and speaking his mind), and in 2013 he was honored by former president Barack Obama during a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington Cemetery.

 

 

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