The song “There She Is” was written by Bernie Wayne. It has been sung at the crowning of almost every Miss America since 1955, the first year the pageant was televised, until 2012, when Wayne’s widow, Phyllis, got into a contract dispute with the pageant organizers.
Margaret Gorman was crowned the first Miss America in 1921. She wasn’t thrilled. “I never cared to be Miss America,” she later said. “It wasn’t my idea. I am so bored by it all. I really want to forget the whole thing.”
While touring the country as Miss America, Patricia Donnelly was offered a Hollywood acting contract, but she turned it down. “I realized by that time that I didn’t want my face known,” she later explained. “I wanted the freedom of movement—to go where I pleased without people knowing who I was.” (She ended up becoming a newspaper editor.)
Bess Meyerson was the first Jewish Miss America. She later campaigned for civil rights and had a career in politics.
The 1954 ceremony was the last one not broadcast on television. When Evelyn Ay was crowned, her father, a German immigrant, cried, “This could only happen in America!”
Deborah Bryant was at the top of her high school class, and would go on to graduate from the University of Kansas with a degree in English.
After the 1971 pageant, Phyllis George became a successful businesswoman, actor, and sportscaster.
Vanessa Williams was the first African-American Miss America. After nude photos of her were made public, she relinquished her title. This doesn’t seem to have held her back, as she has since become an actor and singer with several Emmy and Grammy nominations and NAACP Image Awards to her name. (After Williams stepped down, 1984’s first runner-up, Suzette Charles, stepped up to serve the last seven weeks of her term.)
Heather Whitestone was the first deaf Miss America. She continues to work to raise public awareness of deaf issues, people, and culture.
Lauren Nelson launched a nationwide platform of internet safety, and recently co-hosted America’s Most Wanted to assist in apprehending potential child predators.
Nina Davuluri is the first Indian-American Miss America. She will be using her scholarship money to attend medical school. ♦
16 Comments
This was surprisingly interesting! Although I like fashion, I’ve never really concerned myself with models or similar careers. It’s interesting how diverse all their interests are.
I do wonder how Miss Gordan got the title if she were do bored with it all. I know in the twenties it was cool to appear nonchalant, but still!
I loved this piece! Its funny to think the first Miss America was bored of it! The illustrations and writing were beautiful, so many good adjectives.
KELLY, I LOVE the way you draw people. Entranced by this series.
aww, thanks Dylan!
Margaret Gorman was my great-aunt! This is a cool set of drawings. :D
No way! She seems like a very cool lady.
this is brilliant
I love the drawings!!
This was a particularly good article! I’ve always been a little bit divided about the nature of such pagaents, as they are brutally competitive environments that pit women against one another in order to adhere to a specific standard, but the girls in the pageants can’t really be blamed for this. It was nice to see how some of the winners used their success to go on to do bigger things, or broke the typical mould of Miss Americas :)
EVELYN AY!!! Her father is so right (in figurative ways, that is)!
Who was the Miss America that held her crown instead of wearing it? It was supposed to be a protest against the emphasis on beauty and not talent (like the scholarship was made for.) At first I thought it was Gretchen Carlson, but I’m not quite sure and I’d love for someone to check the accuracy of something a friend told me once. (If it’s true, I do believe whoever she is has certainly earned a place on this list.)
Beautiful drawings! I loved reading these fun facts about various Miss America winners.
So interesting what they do after being Miss America
Love this!!
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I’ve always wondered what past Miss America winners got up to.
A pretty interesting article with lovely pictures.
Angela Perez Baraquio, the first Asian American, first Filipino American, and first teacher ever to win the pageant was my gym teacher in kindergarden!
This is one of my favourite things, like, ever!!