Cooper dropped out of high school during his senior year because his family moved to Philadelphia for financial reasons. He attended Storer College, a school established for freed slaves after the Civil War. In college, Cooper studied Latin, biology, history, English, and mathematics. He started working in the transport sector.
In 2018, Cooper returned to his old school. He told family members that he was very sorry that he never received his diploma. They then contacted various authorities. Finally, the 101-year-old man received his diploma last week.