By Megan Sayles
AFRO Business Writer
msayles@afro.com
At 86 years old, Hazel Cropper is a mother, grandmother and world champion crab picker. The crustaceans are a staple in Maryland, her home state, and she learned to pick them from her grandmother when she was just nine years old. Over the years, Cropper, who’s affectionately known as “Hurricane Hazel,” learned how to crack and clear a crab of meat in record-breaking time.
Her family has a long history of crab picking. Some of her relatives were a part of the 1938 strike, in which 600 crab pickers— who were predominantly Black women— walked out of their jobs after packing houses in Crisfield, Md. announced wage cuts.
“I’m no stranger to work,” said Cropper.
She continues to pick crabs to this day. Cropper acknowledged that many older adults are set in their routines. She urged them to find ways to stay active.
“If you sit down, at my age– you’re going to stay down,” said Cropper. “Sitting will kill you.”
Sedentary lifestyles pose risks to all people. They increase the risk of cardiovascular problems, lead to muscle deterioration, slow down your metabolism and stifle mobility. Some studies have even linked prolonged inactivity to shorter life expectancy.
“Find something to do, and keep yourself motivated,” said Cropper. “I’m not going to sit down, as long as God tells me I can go.”
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