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List of Miss America winners facts for kids

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Margaret Gorman first prize beauty Altantic City
Margaret Gorman, the first Miss America, 1921
Elizabeth Gracen 20100704 Japan Expo 1
Elizabeth Ward Gracen 2010: Elizabeth Ward won in 1982.
Vanessa Williams homezfoo
Vanessa Williams in 2010. Vanessa won in 1984.
Heather French headshot
Heather French, 2000 winner
2014 Miss America Nina Davuluri (cropped)
Nina Davuluri, Miss America 2014

Miss America is an American beauty contest. It is an annual competition open to women from the United States between the ages of 17 and 24. Contestants are judged on talent and interviews in addition to their physical attractiveness. It is run by the Miss America Organization, a non-profit organization based in Linwood, New Jersey. The corporation has developed the "Miss America Scholarship Program", which awards educational scholarships to successful competitors.

The contest began in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1921. It was an idea of newspaper reporter, Harry Finley, to increase newspaper sales and to promote Atlantic City. The first competition had eight entrants. The entrants were selected by their local city newspapers and their prize was a holiday in Atlantic City, and to take part in the "Intercity Beauty Contest". This was held as part of the second annual Atlantic City Pageant. Margaret Gorman, "Miss Washington D.C.", a school girl from Washington D.C was selected by the Washington Herald. She won the "Inter-City Beauty, Amateur" and "The Most Beautiful Bathing Girl in America" contests. She was given the Golden Mermaid Trophy. Because these were awkward titles, in 1922 Gorman was renamed as "Miss America".

Winners

Year Miss America From
1921 Margaret Gorman Washington, D.C.
1922 Mary Campbell Columbus, Ohio
1923 Mary Campbell Columbus, Ohio
1924 Ruth Malcomson Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1925 Fay Lanphier Oakland, California
1926 Norma Smallwood Tulsa, Oklahoma
1927 Lois Delander Joliet, Illinois
1932 Dorothy Hann Camden, New Jersey
1933 Marian Bergeron West Haven, Connecticut
1935 Henrietta Leaver Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1936 Rose Coyle Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1937 Bette Cooper Bertrand Island, New Jersey
1938 Marilyn Meseke Marion, Ohio
1939 Patricia Donnelly Detroit, Michigan
1940 Frances Marie Burke Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1941 Rosemary LaPlanche Los Angeles, California
1942 Jo-Carroll Dennison Tyler, Texas
1943 Jean Bartel Los Angeles, California
1944 Venus Ramey Washington, D.C.
1945 Bess Myerson New York, New York
1946 Marilyn Buferd Los Angeles, California
1947 Barbara Jo Walker Memphis, Tennessee
1948 BeBe Shopp Hopkins, Minnesota
1949 Jacque Mercer Litchfield Park, Arizona
1951 Yolande Betbeze Mobile, Alabama
1952 Colleen Kay Hutchins Salt Lake City, Utah
1953 Neva Jane Langley Macon, Georgia
1954 Evelyn Margaret Ay Ephrata, Pennsylvania
1955 Lee Meriwether San Francisco, California
1956 Sharon Ritchie Denver, Colorado
1957 Marian McKnight Manning, South Carolina
1958 Marilyn Van Derbur Denver, Colorado
1959 Mary Ann Mobley Brandon, Mississippi
1960 Lynda Lee Mead Natchez, Mississippi
1961 Nancy Fleming Montague, Michigan
1962 Maria Fletcher Asheville, North Carolina
1963 Jacquelyn Mayer Sandusky, Ohio
1964 Donna Axum El Dorado, Arkansas
1965 Vonda Kay Van Dyke Phoenix, Arizona
1966 Deborah Irene Bryant Overland Park, Kansas
1967 Jane Anne Jayroe Laverne, Oklahoma
1968 Debra Dene Barnes Moran, Kansas
1969 Judith Anne Ford Belvidere, Illinois
1970 Pamela Anne Eldred Birmingham, Michigan
1971 Phyllis Ann George Denton, Texas
1972 Laurie Lea Schaefer Columbus, Ohio
1973 Terry Anne Meeuwsen De Pere, Wisconsin
1974 Rebecca Ann King Denver, Colorado
1975 Shirley Cothran Fort Worth, Texas
1976 Tawny Elaine Godin Yonkers, New York
1977 Dorothy Kathleen Benham Edina, Minnesota
1978 Susan Perkins Columbus, Ohio
1979 Kylene Barker Galax, Virginia
1980 Cheryl Prewitt Ackerman, Mississippi
1981 Susan Powell Elk City, Oklahoma
1982 Elizabeth Ward Russellville, Arkansas
1983 Debra Maffett Anaheim, California
1984 Vanessa L. Williams Millwood, New York
Suzette Charles Mays Landing, New Jersey
1985 Sharlene Wells Salt Lake City, Utah
1986 Susan Akin Meridian, Mississippi
1987 Kellye Cash Memphis, Tennessee
1988 Kaye Lani Rae Rafko Monroe, Michigan
1989 Gretchen Carlson Anoka, Minnesota
1990 Debbye Turner Mexico, Missouri
1991 Marjorie Judith Vincent Oak Park, Illinois
1992 Carolyn Suzanne Sapp Kona, Hawaii
1993 Leanza Cornett Jacksonville, Florida
1994 Kimberly Clarice Aiken Columbia, South Carolina
1995 Heather Whitestone Birmingham, Alabama
1996 Shawntel Smith Muldrow, Oklahoma
1997 Tara Dawn Holland Overland Park, Kansas
1998 Katherine Shindle Evanston, Illinois
1999 Nicole Johnson Roanoke, Virginia
2000 Heather French Augusta, Kentucky
2001 Angela Perez Baraquio Honolulu, Hawaii
2002 Katie Harman Gresham, Oregon
2003 Erika Harold Urbana, Illinois
2004 Ericka Dunlap Orlando, Florida
2005 Deidre Downs Birmingham, Alabama
2006 Jennifer Berry Tulsa, Oklahoma
2007 Lauren Nelson Lawton, Oklahoma
2008 Kirsten Haglund Farmington Hills, Michigan
2009 Katie Stam Seymour, Indiana
2010 Caressa Cameron Fredericksburg, Virginia
2011 Teresa Scanlan Gering, Nebraska
2012 Laura Kaeppeler Kenosha, Wisconsin
2013 Mallory Hagan Brooklyn, New York
2014 Nina Davuluri Fayetteville, New York
2015 Kira Kazantsev Bronx, New York
2016 Betty Cantrel Warner Robins, Georgia
2017 Savvy Shields Fayetteville, Arkansas
2018 Cara Mund Bismarck, North Dakota
2019 Nia Franklin Winston-Salem, North Carolina
2020 Camille Schrier Doylestown, Pennsylvania
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List of Miss America winners Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.