Miss USA facts for kids
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| Type | beauty pageant |
|---|---|
| Parent organization | Miss Universe Organization |
| Headquarters | New York City, U.S. |
| Country represented | United States |
| Qualifies for | Miss Universe |
| First edition | 1952 |
| Most recent edition | 2023 |
| Current titleholder | Savannah Gankiewicz Hawaii |
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Owners
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President and CEO
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Laylah Rose |
| Language/s | English |
The Miss USA pageant is an American beauty competition held every year since 1952. Its main goal is to choose a representative from the United States to compete in the Miss Universe pageant.
The Miss Universe Organization used to run both Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. However, in 2020, they licensed the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants to Crystle Stewart, who was Miss USA 2008. Later, in October 2022, the Miss Universe Organization took back control.
The pageant was owned by Donald Trump from 1996 to 2015. It was shown on NBC for many years. In 2015, WME/IMG bought the pageant from Trump. In 2020, the FYI network showed the competition for the first time. In October 2022, JKN Global Group bought the pageant. It is now shown on The CW.
The current Miss USA is Savannah Gankiewicz from Hawaii. She took over the title after the original winner, Noelia Voigt, resigned. Noelia Voigt from Utah was crowned Miss USA on September 29, 2023, in Reno, Nevada. Savannah Gankiewicz was the first runner-up in that competition.
Contents
The Miss USA Pageant's Story
The idea for the Miss USA pageant started in 1950. This happened when Yolande Betbeze, who won the Miss America pageant, refused to pose in a swimsuit for photos. Because of this, the pageant's sponsor, Catalina swimwear, decided to create their own competition.
The very first Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants happened at the same time in Long Beach, California, in 1952. The first Miss USA winner was Jackie Loughery from New York. In that first year, 30 contestants took part. Since the 1970s, every state and the District of Columbia has sent a contestant each year.
For many years, the pageant was shown on CBS, from 1963 to 2002. Famous TV hosts like Bob Barker hosted the show. The pageant was very popular in the early 1980s. However, viewership dropped in the 1990s and 2000s. In 2002, Donald Trump, who owned the pageant then, made a deal with NBC. This deal moved the Miss USA, Miss Universe, and Miss Teen USA pageants to NBC.
Miss USA and Miss Universe
The winner of Miss USA traditionally represents the U.S. in the Miss Universe pageant. Since the beginning, nine Miss USA winners have also won the Miss Universe title. If a Miss USA wins Miss Universe, the first runner-up usually takes over the Miss USA title. This happened in 1980, 1995, 1997, 2012, and 2022.
What Winners Receive
The Miss USA winner gets a one-year contract with the Miss Universe Organization. She travels across the United States and sometimes overseas. Her job is to share messages about important causes. Besides the job, the winner also gets money, a modeling portfolio, beauty products, clothes, and health services. She also gets to go to special events and modeling opportunities in New York City.
If the winner cannot complete her duties for any reason, the first runner-up steps in.
Recent Changes and Broadcasts
In September 2015, IMG bought the Miss Universe Organization. The following month, Fox announced that it would show Miss USA and Miss Universe on TV.
Starting in 2023, the Miss Universe Organization announced a big change. They would now allow divorced, married, or widowed women and mothers to compete. This was a new step for the pageant. In October 2022, JKN Global Group bought the Miss Universe Organization.
In September 2023, the 2022 Miss USA winner, R'Bonney Gabriel, announced another change. The organization would remove the age limit for adult women. This means that starting with Miss USA 2024, women 29 years old and older can also compete. Also, in September 2023, the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants moved to The CW network.
Recent Challenges and Resignations
In the summer of 2020, the Miss Universe organization allowed Crystle Stewart to run the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants. She was Miss USA 2008.
After the Miss USA 2022 competition, the Miss Universe Organization stopped the Miss USA organizers. There were claims that the eventual winner, R'Bonney Gabriel, was favored. In August 2023, Crystle Stewart stepped down as president. Laylah Rose, a fashion designer, took her place.
On May 6, 2024, the reigning Miss USA 2023, Noelia Voigt, resigned. She said she wanted to focus on her mental health. Two days later, UmaSofia Srivastava, the reigning Miss Teen USA 2023, also resigned. The New York Times later reported that Voigt mentioned "difficult work conditions" and "bullying" in her resignation letter.
Noelia Voigt's first runner-up, Savannah Gankiewicz from Hawaii, became Miss USA 2023 on May 9, 2024. UmaSofia Srivastava's first runner-up declined the Miss Teen USA title.
On May 15, 2024, the mothers of Noelia Voigt and UmaSofia Srivastava spoke out. They said their daughters' dream jobs turned into a "nightmare." They claimed their daughters faced poor treatment and bullying.
How the Competition Works
The modern Miss USA pageant has a preliminary competition. This takes place about a week before the main event. In this part, all contestants are judged in swimsuit, evening gown, and interview categories.
State Competitions
Every year, contestants must be 18 years old or older to compete in their state's Miss USA pageant. Each state holds its own competition to choose a delegate. In some states, smaller local pageants are also held. The winners of these state competitions are called "Miss (State) USA" for their year.
The state with the most Miss USA wins is Texas. Ten representatives from Texas have won the Miss USA title. This includes five winners in a row from 1985 to 1989. California has the second most wins with six.
Notable Winners
Miss USA 2022, R'Bonney Gabriel, became the oldest Miss USA winner at 28 years old. Miss USA 2015, Olivia Jordan, is the only Miss USA winner to compete in both Miss Universe and Miss World. The tallest Miss USA is Miss USA 2012, Nana Meriwether, who is 6 feet tall.
The first Asian-American woman to win Miss USA was Macel Wilson in 1962. The first Hispanic woman was Laura Martinez-Herring in 1985. The first African-American winner was Carole Gist in 1990.
Only one woman, Brandi Sherwood, has held both the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA titles. She was Miss Teen USA 1989 and later became Miss USA in 1997. Ten other Miss USA winners also competed in Miss Teen USA before winning Miss USA.
Six Miss USA winners have also competed in Miss America.
Many Miss USA winners have gone on to work in the entertainment industry. Some successful examples include Ali Landry, Kenya Moore, and Olivia Culpo.
Miss USA Titleholders
| Year | State | Miss USA | Venue | Placement at Miss Universe | Special awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Hawaii | Savannah Gankiewicz | Honolulu, Hawaii | Originally 1st runner-up, later assumed title after Voigt resigned | |
| Utah | Noelia Voigt (resigned) | Reno, Nevada | Top 20 | ||
| 2022 | North Carolina | Morgan Romano | Auburn, Alabama | Originally 1st runner-up, later assumed title after Gabriel won Miss Universe | |
| Texas | R'Bonney Gabriel | Reno, Nevada | Miss Universe 2022 | ||
| 2021 | Kentucky | Elle Smith | Tulsa, Oklahoma | Top 10 | |
| 2020 | Mississippi | Asya Branch | Memphis, Tennessee | Top 21 | |
| 2019 | North Carolina | Cheslie Kryst | Reno, Nevada | Top 10 | |
Awards Given at Miss USA
The most common awards given at Miss USA are Miss Amity (also called Miss Congeniality) and Miss Photogenic.
The Miss Amity Award is chosen by the contestants themselves. It goes to the person who is the friendliest and makes the experience most fun for everyone. Vermont and Wyoming have won this award five times, more than any other state.
The Miss Photogenic award started in 1965. It was first chosen by journalists. Since 1996, it has been chosen by an online vote. Virginia has won the most Photogenic awards.
Other awards have been given over the years, like Best State Costume and Most Beautiful Eyes. In 1998, a special award was given to Halle Berry. She was Miss Ohio USA 1986 and later became a famous actress and an Oscar winner.
Pageant Locations
For its first eight years (1952–1959), the Miss USA pageant was held in Long Beach, California. The competition then moved to Miami Beach, Florida, from 1960 to 1971. In 1972, the pageant was held in Puerto Rico. This is the only time it has been held outside the main United States.
Since 1972, the pageant has been held in various cities across the U.S. It usually stays in one location for two to three years.
As of 2022, the pageant has been held in many states, including California, Florida, Nevada, and Texas.
Miss USA on Reality TV
Many Miss USA and Miss Teen USA contestants have appeared on reality television shows. Some well-known examples include Danni Boatwright, who won Survivor: Guatemala. Others have been on shows like The Amazing Race and Dancing with the Stars.
In 2007, a reality show called Pageant Place aired on MTV. It featured several Miss USA and Miss Teen USA titleholders.
See also
- Miss Grand USA
- Miss U.S. International
- United States representatives at Miss World
- Miss Earth USA
- Miss Teen USA
- Miss America
