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Miss Black America contestants on stage

Miss Black America, a Pageantry of Beauty and Representation

Posted on March 14, 2021June 17, 2022 by Contributing Writer

The Miss Black America pageant held its first pageant in 1968, on the same night as the Miss America pageant. The Miss America pageant had a history of discriminating against black women.  According to their rule number seven, “contestants must be of good health and of the white race.” As a result, contestants had to list their biological ancestry as far back as possible. Miss America pageant also had formal and informal rules against non-white contestants. It wasn’t until 1984 that Miss America crowned Vanessa Williams as the first black Miss America winner.

Miss Black America was founded by J. Morris Anderson. Media and marketing showed white women as the standard of beauty. Beauty was represented as white skin, a thin nose, and straight hair in television, advertisements, and magazines. Mr. Anderson wanted to show his two daughters that black women are beautiful. Black girls and women did not need to adhere to white standards in order to be considered beautiful. Many black communities held their own local pageants. However, Miss America was the only nationwide televised beauty pageant. Mr. Anderson, with the support of the NAACP and other organizers, hosted the first nationwide Miss Black America in 1968 in direct opposition to the Miss America pageant.  

In 1969, Miss Black America was televised for the first time. Curtis Mayfield composed and recorded the theme song. Multiple celebrities attended the contest such as Stevie Wonder. In 1971, Oprah Winfrey was a contestant representing Tennessee. Although she did not win, she considered it a great honor. Miss Black America is still holding pageants. For the 50th anniversary pageant, Ms. Ryann Richardson was crowned Miss Black America.

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