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For the British musical band, see Miss Black America (band)

The Miss Black America pageant is a competition for young Black American women in areas such as speech, talent, style, and poise — essentially the black version of the popular Miss America pageant.

J. Morris Anderson first created and produced the Miss Black America Pageant on August 17, 1968, it was a local Philadelphia area pageant to protest the lack of black women in the Miss America pageant. In 1969, the Miss Black America became national with 42 U.S. states competing in New York City's Madison Square Garden. The winner was Miss Black New York.

• The Jackson 5 made their first television debut performing during the 1969 pageant, won by Gloria O. Smith, Miss New York.
• Kathleen Bradley won the "Miss Black California" award in 1971.
• In 1971, Oprah Winfrey competed as Miss Black Tennessee.
• Joyce Warner of Florida was Miss Black America 1972.
• Twanna Kilgore of Washington, D.C. was Miss Black America 1976
• Claire Ford of Memphis, TN was Miss Black America 1977.
• Lydia Garrett of North Carolina was Miss Black America 1984.
• In 1991, boxer Mike Tyson was a judge in the pageant, and the following year was convicted of raping Miss Black Rhode Island, Desiree Washington. The winner of that pageant was future WCW Nitro Girl and current WWE diva Sharmell Sullivan.
• Marshaline Letcher, using her stage name, was First Runner Up in the Miss Black New York State Pageant.
• Two Jackson State University co-eds, Helen Jean Ford and Varetta Shankle, have held the title of Miss Black America. Both were also members of the University's marching band, "The Sonic Boom of the South."
• There is a Curtis Mayfield song entitled "Miss Black America."
• T'Keyah Crystal Keymah won the "Miss Black Illinois" pageant in 1985 and was First Runner Up in the Miss Black America Pageant that year.

• Official Website

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