A Look at 'Miss America' Through the Years

What started as a way to boost tourism in Atlantic City ultimately became the pageant that we know today. Of the 10 contestants who competed in 1921, Washington D.C. native Margaret Gorman won two titles — Inter-City Beauty and The Most Beautiful Bathing Girl in America. One year later, she was renamed Miss America, according to the Miss America Organization site.

Norma Smallwood was the first woman of Native American heritage to win the crown. That year, Smallwood earned more money than Babe Ruth, who set a World Series record for the Yankees, according to Tulsa World.

The pageant was briefly discontinued in 1928 amid push back from women’s groups and church officials, according to Slate. But in 1933, businessmen gathered and revived the event, in the hopes that it would bring in a profit during the Great Depression. Despite all of the hubbub involved, 15-year-old Marion Bergeron took home the title.

With more events and contestants (46 total), the pageant was finally able to pay off its debt the year Rose Veronica Coyle was crowned. This also marked the first year interviews were part of the competition, according to Press of Atlantic City.

This was the year the organization changed its name from The Showman’s Variety Jubilee to The Miss America Pageant. And while she was runner-up the year prior, Rosemary LaPlanche ultimately secured the title. She kicked off her year as Miss America traveling with the U.S.O. and selling war bonds, according to Today.

Miss America 1945, Bess Myerson, was the first and only Jewish woman to win the title, according to Forward. She used her platform to speak out against discrimination by teaming up with the Anti-Defamation League. She applied her pageant scholarship money to graduate studies at Juilliard and Columbia University.

The organization divided its new scholarship fund among Miss America Marilyn Buferd and the 15 finalists. They also decided the term “bathing suit” was out, and the more concise “swimsuit” was in, according to Pageantry Magazine.

Jacque Mercer (Miss Arizona) won the title in 1949. She got married and divorced during her reign, which prompted the organization to institute a rule against contestants who have been married or pregnant.

According to The Washington Post, Yolande Betbeze was a trailblazer for the competition after refusing to pose wearing a swimsuit. Despite not following tradition, she won in 1950, but was the first Miss America to be "postdated" and therefore had the title for 1951.

In 1955, beloved host Bert Parks kicked off his 24-year run with the Miss America pageant, according to the Los Angeles Times. The show aired on television for the second year, and Colorado’s Sharon Kay Ritchie took the crown.

Fifteen hundred women were invited to compete in Atlantic City for the Cinderella-themed Fortieth Royal Reunion Pageant in September 1960. In the end, a whopping 85 million viewers tuned in to watch Nancy Fleming take the crown, according to Today.

The judges panel was star-studded, with Oscar winner Joan Crawford joining the group, according to Variety. Deborah Bryant was the first Kansas resident to claim the title.

Judith Ford (Miss Illinois) was a world-class trampolinist, who performed a routine for the talent portion of the competition. She was even a member of her college's men's trampoline team.

Although Phyllis George (pictured) was named Miss America that year, it was Cheryl Adrienne Browne, who was most notable as the show's first African-American contestant, according Press of Atlantic City.

Five years later, Delaware’s Day Deborah Rica Lipford (now known as Dr. Day Gardner) made history as the first African-American contestant to reach the top 10. Ultimately, Dorothy Benham of Minnesota won.

Actor Ron Ely was named the new host after Bert Parks was ousted in 1980, according to People. That year, Miss Oklahoma Susan Powell was named pageant queen.

Before heading to Wisteria Lane, Vanessa Williams donned the crown as the first African-American woman to win the title. But upon learning unauthorized photos of Williams would be released in Penthouse magazine, she was unfairly forced to resign by the Miss America Organization just two months from her one year mark. As a result, runner-up Suzette Charles became the second African-American woman to earn the title.

Susan Akin won this year, which was the last time contestants’ bust, waist, and hip measurements were featured in the program. At the time, critics wanted the pageant to eliminate the swimsuit portion as well, but the organization only agreed to remove the sizing information.