Miss USA
Encyclopedia
The Miss USA beauty contest
has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States
entrant in the Miss Universe
pageant. The Miss Universe Organization
operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA
. Miss USA 2011 is Alyssa Campanella
, the current titleholder, who competed as Miss California USA
, winner of the rival Miss America
pageant, refused to pose for publicity pictures while wearing a swimsuit. Pageant sponsor Catalina
decided to pull their sponsorship off the pageant, and create their own competition. Other owners have included a subsidiary of Gulf+Western
Industries, ITT Corporation
, and billionaire Donald Trump
, the current owner who bought the pageant in 1996.
The first Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants were held concurrently in Long Beach, California
in 1952; the first Miss USA winner was Miss New York USA
Jackie Loughery
. There were thirty delegates in the first year of competition, and many states did not compete every year during the first two decades of the pageant's history. From the 1970s, each state and the District of Columbia have sent a delegate each year. Alaska
first competed in 1959 and Hawaii
in 1960. Both had competed at Miss Universe until this time.
The pageant aired on CBS
from 1963
until 2002
, and for many years was known for having a CBS game show host as pageant host. John Charles Daly
hosted the show from 1963–1966, Bob Barker
from 1967 until 1987 (at which point he quit in a dispute over fur coats), Alan Thicke
in 1988, Dick Clark from 1989–1993, and Bob Goen
from 1994–1996. The show's highest ratings were in the early 1980s, when it regularly topped the Neilsen ratings. Viewership dropped sharply from the 1990s to the 2000s, from an estimated viewership of 20 million to an average of 7 million from 2000–2001. In 2002, owner Donald Trump brokered a new deal with NBC
, giving them half-ownership of the Miss USA, Miss Universe and Miss Teen USA and moving them to NBC on an initial five year contract. The pageants were first shown on NBC in 2003.
Historically, the winner of the Miss USA title has represented the United States in its sister Miss Universe pageant. Since its inception, seven Miss USA titleholders have gone on to win Miss Universe. In the mid-1960s, it was established when a Miss USA wins the Miss Universe title, the first runner-up assumes the Miss USA title for the remainder of the year. This has happened in 1980, 1995 and 1997. In 1967, the first runner-up declined the title and the crown went to the second runner-up Cheryl Patton
. The only instance where a first runner-up assumed the title of Miss USA prior to this period was in 1957 when Mary Leona Gage
resigned when it was discovered she was married.
From 1975–2000, all delegates who made the initial cut competed in an interview competition in some format, often involving all semi-finalists. As of 2001, this interview portion was taken away, leaving only the final question for the top five delegates to answer.
From 1979–2002, the average scores of each delegate were shown on the television broadcast and thus the semi-finalists could be ranked. This was changed in 2003 to a "circle" system where judges choose a certain number of delegates to "circle", and those with the most "circles" made the cut. This was the same system that was used prior to the computer scoring system implemented in 1979. In 2007, this system came back and contestants' composite scores are shown live.
and Florida
), local pageants are also held to determine delegates for the state competition. The state winners hold the title "Miss State USA" for the year of their reign.
The most successful state is Texas, which has had the most semi-finalists and winners, including five consecutive Miss USA titleholders during the 1980s. Other successful states include California
, New York
, Alabama
, Tennessee
and Georgia
. The least successful states are Delaware
, the only state that has never placed; Montana
, which has not placed since the 1950s; South Dakota
, which has only placed twice (the last time in 1974), and Wyoming
, which gained only its second placement in 2010. The only state which has produced more than one Miss Universe is South Carolina
.
The Miss Universe Organization
licenses out the state pageants to pageant directors, who in some cases are responsible for more than one state. The most well established directorial groups are RPM Productions, created in 1980 (Louisiana
, North Carolina
, South Carolina), and Vanbros, created in the early 1990s (Arkansas
, Kansas
, Missouri
, Nebraska
and Oklahoma
). Future Productions direct the most states, six, across the Midwest and Rockies.
in 1990; and the first Miss USA of Middle-Eastern descent was Rima Fakih
in 2010.
Brandi Sherwood
is the only woman to have held both the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA titles. She was Miss Idaho Teen USA
, Miss Teen USA
1989, Miss Idaho USA
1997, first runner-up at Miss USA 1997
and in May 1997 assumed the Miss USA title after Brook Lee won the Miss Universe pageant. Nine other Miss USA titleholders have also previously competed at Miss Teen USA
. These include:
Five Miss USA titleholders have also competed at Miss America
. These included: (Miriam Stevenson
, Carlene King Johnson
and Carol Morris
) (1954–1956), Mai Shanley
(1984) and Shandi Finnessey
(2004). Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004 and Miss Missouri
2002 won a preliminary evening gown award at Miss America 2003
. Also, Miriam Stevenson placed in the top 10 at Miss America 1954
as Miss South Carolina
1953.
Many Miss USA winners have gone to pursue careers in the entertainment
industry. Those who have been successful in the industry include Summer Bartholomew
, Deborah Shelton
, Laura Martinez-Herring
, Shanna Moakler
, Ali Landry
, Kenya Moore
, Brandi Sherwood
, Susie Castillo
and Shandi Finnessey
.
has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States
entrant in the Miss Universe
pageant. The Miss Universe Organization
operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA
. Miss USA 2011 is Alyssa Campanella
, the current titleholder, who competed as Miss California USA
, winner of the rival Miss America
pageant, refused to pose for publicity pictures while wearing a swimsuit. Pageant sponsor Catalina
decided to pull their sponsorship off the pageant, and create their own competition. Other owners have included a subsidiary of Gulf+Western
Industries, ITT Corporation
, and billionaire Donald Trump
, the current owner who bought the pageant in 1996.
The first Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants were held concurrently in Long Beach, California
in 1952; the first Miss USA winner was Miss New York USA
Jackie Loughery
. There were thirty delegates in the first year of competition, and many states did not compete every year during the first two decades of the pageant's history. From the 1970s, each state and the District of Columbia have sent a delegate each year. Alaska
first competed in 1959 and Hawaii
in 1960. Both had competed at Miss Universe until this time.
The pageant aired on CBS
from 1963
until 2002
, and for many years was known for having a CBS game show host as pageant host. John Charles Daly
hosted the show from 1963–1966, Bob Barker
from 1967 until 1987 (at which point he quit in a dispute over fur coats), Alan Thicke
in 1988, Dick Clark from 1989–1993, and Bob Goen
from 1994–1996. The show's highest ratings were in the early 1980s, when it regularly topped the Neilsen ratings. Viewership dropped sharply from the 1990s to the 2000s, from an estimated viewership of 20 million to an average of 7 million from 2000–2001. In 2002, owner Donald Trump brokered a new deal with NBC
, giving them half-ownership of the Miss USA, Miss Universe and Miss Teen USA and moving them to NBC on an initial five year contract. The pageants were first shown on NBC in 2003.
Historically, the winner of the Miss USA title has represented the United States in its sister Miss Universe pageant. Since its inception, seven Miss USA titleholders have gone on to win Miss Universe. In the mid-1960s, it was established when a Miss USA wins the Miss Universe title, the first runner-up assumes the Miss USA title for the remainder of the year. This has happened in 1980, 1995 and 1997. In 1967, the first runner-up declined the title and the crown went to the second runner-up Cheryl Patton
. The only instance where a first runner-up assumed the title of Miss USA prior to this period was in 1957 when Mary Leona Gage
resigned when it was discovered she was married.
From 1975–2000, all delegates who made the initial cut competed in an interview competition in some format, often involving all semi-finalists. As of 2001, this interview portion was taken away, leaving only the final question for the top five delegates to answer.
From 1979–2002, the average scores of each delegate were shown on the television broadcast and thus the semi-finalists could be ranked. This was changed in 2003 to a "circle" system where judges choose a certain number of delegates to "circle", and those with the most "circles" made the cut. This was the same system that was used prior to the computer scoring system implemented in 1979. In 2007, this system came back and contestants' composite scores are shown live.
and Florida
), local pageants are also held to determine delegates for the state competition. The state winners hold the title "Miss State USA" for the year of their reign.
The most successful state is Texas, which has had the most semi-finalists and winners, including five consecutive Miss USA titleholders during the 1980s. Other successful states include California
, New York
, Alabama
, Tennessee
and Georgia
. The least successful states are Delaware
, the only state that has never placed; Montana
, which has not placed since the 1950s; South Dakota
, which has only placed twice (the last time in 1974), and Wyoming
, which gained only its second placement in 2010. The only state which has produced more than one Miss Universe is South Carolina
.
The Miss Universe Organization
licenses out the state pageants to pageant directors, who in some cases are responsible for more than one state. The most well established directorial groups are RPM Productions, created in 1980 (Louisiana
, North Carolina
, South Carolina), and Vanbros, created in the early 1990s (Arkansas
, Kansas
, Missouri
, Nebraska
and Oklahoma
). Future Productions direct the most states, six, across the Midwest and Rockies.
in 1990; and the first Miss USA of Middle-Eastern descent was Rima Fakih
in 2010.
Brandi Sherwood
is the only woman to have held both the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA titles. She was Miss Idaho Teen USA
, Miss Teen USA
1989, Miss Idaho USA
1997, first runner-up at Miss USA 1997
and in May 1997 assumed the Miss USA title after Brook Lee won the Miss Universe pageant. Nine other Miss USA titleholders have also previously competed at Miss Teen USA
. These include:
Five Miss USA titleholders have also competed at Miss America
. These included: (Miriam Stevenson
, Carlene King Johnson
and Carol Morris
) (1954–1956), Mai Shanley
(1984) and Shandi Finnessey
(2004). Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004 and Miss Missouri
2002 won a preliminary evening gown award at Miss America 2003
. Also, Miriam Stevenson placed in the top 10 at Miss America 1954
as Miss South Carolina
1953.
Many Miss USA winners have gone to pursue careers in the entertainment
industry. Those who have been successful in the industry include Summer Bartholomew
, Deborah Shelton
, Laura Martinez-Herring
, Shanna Moakler
, Ali Landry
, Kenya Moore
, Brandi Sherwood
, Susie Castillo
and Shandi Finnessey
.
has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States
entrant in the Miss Universe
pageant. The Miss Universe Organization
operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA
. Miss USA 2011 is Alyssa Campanella
, the current titleholder, who competed as Miss California USA
, winner of the rival Miss America
pageant, refused to pose for publicity pictures while wearing a swimsuit. Pageant sponsor Catalina
decided to pull their sponsorship off the pageant, and create their own competition. Other owners have included a subsidiary of Gulf+Western
Industries, ITT Corporation
, and billionaire Donald Trump
, the current owner who bought the pageant in 1996.
The first Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants were held concurrently in Long Beach, California
in 1952; the first Miss USA winner was Miss New York USA
Jackie Loughery
. There were thirty delegates in the first year of competition, and many states did not compete every year during the first two decades of the pageant's history. From the 1970s, each state and the District of Columbia have sent a delegate each year. Alaska
first competed in 1959 and Hawaii
in 1960. Both had competed at Miss Universe until this time.
The pageant aired on CBS
from 1963
until 2002
, and for many years was known for having a CBS game show host as pageant host. John Charles Daly
hosted the show from 1963–1966, Bob Barker
from 1967 until 1987 (at which point he quit in a dispute over fur coats), Alan Thicke
in 1988, Dick Clark from 1989–1993, and Bob Goen
from 1994–1996. The show's highest ratings were in the early 1980s, when it regularly topped the Neilsen ratings. Viewership dropped sharply from the 1990s to the 2000s, from an estimated viewership of 20 million to an average of 7 million from 2000–2001. In 2002, owner Donald Trump brokered a new deal with NBC
, giving them half-ownership of the Miss USA, Miss Universe and Miss Teen USA and moving them to NBC on an initial five year contract. The pageants were first shown on NBC in 2003.
Historically, the winner of the Miss USA title has represented the United States in its sister Miss Universe pageant. Since its inception, seven Miss USA titleholders have gone on to win Miss Universe. In the mid-1960s, it was established when a Miss USA wins the Miss Universe title, the first runner-up assumes the Miss USA title for the remainder of the year. This has happened in 1980, 1995 and 1997. In 1967, the first runner-up declined the title and the crown went to the second runner-up Cheryl Patton
. The only instance where a first runner-up assumed the title of Miss USA prior to this period was in 1957 when Mary Leona Gage
resigned when it was discovered she was married.
From 1975–2000, all delegates who made the initial cut competed in an interview competition in some format, often involving all semi-finalists. As of 2001, this interview portion was taken away, leaving only the final question for the top five delegates to answer.
From 1979–2002, the average scores of each delegate were shown on the television broadcast and thus the semi-finalists could be ranked. This was changed in 2003 to a "circle" system where judges choose a certain number of delegates to "circle", and those with the most "circles" made the cut. This was the same system that was used prior to the computer scoring system implemented in 1979. In 2007, this system came back and contestants' composite scores are shown live.
and Florida
), local pageants are also held to determine delegates for the state competition. The state winners hold the title "Miss State USA" for the year of their reign.
The most successful state is Texas, which has had the most semi-finalists and winners, including five consecutive Miss USA titleholders during the 1980s. Other successful states include California
, New York
, Alabama
, Tennessee
and Georgia
. The least successful states are Delaware
, the only state that has never placed; Montana
, which has not placed since the 1950s; South Dakota
, which has only placed twice (the last time in 1974), and Wyoming
, which gained only its second placement in 2010. The only state which has produced more than one Miss Universe is South Carolina
.
The Miss Universe Organization
licenses out the state pageants to pageant directors, who in some cases are responsible for more than one state. The most well established directorial groups are RPM Productions, created in 1980 (Louisiana
, North Carolina
, South Carolina), and Vanbros, created in the early 1990s (Arkansas
, Kansas
, Missouri
, Nebraska
and Oklahoma
). Future Productions direct the most states, six, across the Midwest and Rockies.
in 1990; and the first Miss USA of Middle-Eastern descent was Rima Fakih
in 2010.
Brandi Sherwood
is the only woman to have held both the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA titles. She was Miss Idaho Teen USA
, Miss Teen USA
1989, Miss Idaho USA
1997, first runner-up at Miss USA 1997
and in May 1997 assumed the Miss USA title after Brook Lee won the Miss Universe pageant. Nine other Miss USA titleholders have also previously competed at Miss Teen USA
. These include:
Five Miss USA titleholders have also competed at Miss America
. These included: (Miriam Stevenson
, Carlene King Johnson
and Carol Morris
) (1954–1956), Mai Shanley
(1984) and Shandi Finnessey
(2004). Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004 and Miss Missouri
2002 won a preliminary evening gown award at Miss America 2003
. Also, Miriam Stevenson placed in the top 10 at Miss America 1954
as Miss South Carolina
1953.
Many Miss USA winners have gone to pursue careers in the entertainment
industry. Those who have been successful in the industry include Summer Bartholomew
, Deborah Shelton
, Laura Martinez-Herring
, Shanna Moakler
, Ali Landry
, Kenya Moore
, Brandi Sherwood
, Susie Castillo
and Shandi Finnessey
.
The Miss USA beauty contest
has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States
entrant in the Miss Universe
pageant. The Miss Universe Organization
operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA
. Miss USA 2011 is Alyssa Campanella
, the current titleholder, who competed as Miss California USA
, winner of the rival Miss America
pageant, refused to pose for publicity pictures while wearing a swimsuit. Pageant sponsor Catalina
decided to pull their sponsorship off the pageant, and create their own competition. Other owners have included a subsidiary of Gulf+Western
Industries, ITT Corporation
, and billionaire Donald Trump
, the current owner who bought the pageant in 1996.
The first Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants were held concurrently in Long Beach, California
in 1952; the first Miss USA winner was Miss New York USA
Jackie Loughery
. There were thirty delegates in the first year of competition, and many states did not compete every year during the first two decades of the pageant's history. From the 1970s, each state and the District of Columbia have sent a delegate each year. Alaska
first competed in 1959 and Hawaii
in 1960. Both had competed at Miss Universe until this time.
The pageant aired on CBS
from 1963
until 2002
, and for many years was known for having a CBS game show host as pageant host. John Charles Daly
hosted the show from 1963–1966, Bob Barker
from 1967 until 1987 (at which point he quit in a dispute over fur coats), Alan Thicke
in 1988, Dick Clark from 1989–1993, and Bob Goen
from 1994–1996. The show's highest ratings were in the early 1980s, when it regularly topped the Neilsen ratings. Viewership dropped sharply from the 1990s to the 2000s, from an estimated viewership of 20 million to an average of 7 million from 2000–2001. In 2002, owner Donald Trump brokered a new deal with NBC
, giving them half-ownership of the Miss USA, Miss Universe and Miss Teen USA and moving them to NBC on an initial five year contract. The pageants were first shown on NBC in 2003.
Historically, the winner of the Miss USA title has represented the United States in its sister Miss Universe pageant. Since its inception, seven Miss USA titleholders have gone on to win Miss Universe. In the mid-1960s, it was established when a Miss USA wins the Miss Universe title, the first runner-up assumes the Miss USA title for the remainder of the year. This has happened in 1980, 1995 and 1997. In 1967, the first runner-up declined the title and the crown went to the second runner-up Cheryl Patton
. The only instance where a first runner-up assumed the title of Miss USA prior to this period was in 1957 when Mary Leona Gage
resigned when it was discovered she was married.
From 1975–2000, all delegates who made the initial cut competed in an interview competition in some format, often involving all semi-finalists. As of 2001, this interview portion was taken away, leaving only the final question for the top five delegates to answer.
From 1979–2002, the average scores of each delegate were shown on the television broadcast and thus the semi-finalists could be ranked. This was changed in 2003 to a "circle" system where judges choose a certain number of delegates to "circle", and those with the most "circles" made the cut. This was the same system that was used prior to the computer scoring system implemented in 1979. In 2007, this system came back and contestants' composite scores are shown live.
and Florida
), local pageants are also held to determine delegates for the state competition. The state winners hold the title "Miss State USA" for the year of their reign.
The most successful state is Texas, which has had the most semi-finalists and winners, including five consecutive Miss USA titleholders during the 1980s. Other successful states include California
, New York
, Alabama
, Tennessee
and Georgia
. The least successful states are Delaware
, the only state that has never placed; Montana
, which has not placed since the 1950s; South Dakota
, which has only placed twice (the last time in 1974), and Wyoming
, which gained only its second placement in 2010. The only state which has produced more than one Miss Universe is South Carolina
.
The Miss Universe Organization
licenses out the state pageants to pageant directors, who in some cases are responsible for more than one state. The most well established directorial groups are RPM Productions, created in 1980 (Louisiana
, North Carolina
, South Carolina), and Vanbros, created in the early 1990s (Arkansas
, Kansas
, Missouri
, Nebraska
and Oklahoma
). Future Productions direct the most states, six, across the Midwest and Rockies.
in 1990; and the first Miss USA of Middle-Eastern descent was Rima Fakih
in 2010.
Brandi Sherwood
is the only woman to have held both the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA titles. She was Miss Idaho Teen USA
, Miss Teen USA
1989, Miss Idaho USA
1997, first runner-up at Miss USA 1997
and in May 1997 assumed the Miss USA title after Brook Lee won the Miss Universe pageant. Nine other Miss USA titleholders have also previously competed at Miss Teen USA
. These include:
Five Miss USA titleholders have also competed at Miss America
. These included: (Miriam Stevenson
, Carlene King Johnson
and Carol Morris
) (1954–1956), Mai Shanley
(1984) and Shandi Finnessey
(2004). Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004 and Miss Missouri
2002 won a preliminary evening gown award at Miss America 2003
. Also, Miriam Stevenson placed in the top 10 at Miss America 1954
as Miss South Carolina
1953.
Many Miss USA winners have gone to pursue careers in the entertainment
industry. Those who have been successful in the industry include Summer Bartholomew
, Deborah Shelton
, Laura Martinez-Herring
, Shanna Moakler
, Ali Landry
, Kenya Moore
, Brandi Sherwood
, Susie Castillo
and Shandi Finnessey
.
The Miss USA beauty contest
has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States
entrant in the Miss Universe
pageant. The Miss Universe Organization
operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA
. Miss USA 2011 is Alyssa Campanella
, the current titleholder, who competed as Miss California USA
, winner of the rival Miss America
pageant, refused to pose for publicity pictures while wearing a swimsuit. Pageant sponsor Catalina
decided to pull their sponsorship off the pageant, and create their own competition. Other owners have included a subsidiary of Gulf+Western
Industries, ITT Corporation
, and billionaire Donald Trump
, the current owner who bought the pageant in 1996.
The first Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants were held concurrently in Long Beach, California
in 1952; the first Miss USA winner was Miss New York USA
Jackie Loughery
. There were thirty delegates in the first year of competition, and many states did not compete every year during the first two decades of the pageant's history. From the 1970s, each state and the District of Columbia have sent a delegate each year. Alaska
first competed in 1959 and Hawaii
in 1960. Both had competed at Miss Universe until this time.
The pageant aired on CBS
from 1963
until 2002
, and for many years was known for having a CBS game show host as pageant host. John Charles Daly
hosted the show from 1963–1966, Bob Barker
from 1967 until 1987 (at which point he quit in a dispute over fur coats), Alan Thicke
in 1988, Dick Clark from 1989–1993, and Bob Goen
from 1994–1996. The show's highest ratings were in the early 1980s, when it regularly topped the Neilsen ratings. Viewership dropped sharply from the 1990s to the 2000s, from an estimated viewership of 20 million to an average of 7 million from 2000–2001. In 2002, owner Donald Trump brokered a new deal with NBC
, giving them half-ownership of the Miss USA, Miss Universe and Miss Teen USA and moving them to NBC on an initial five year contract. The pageants were first shown on NBC in 2003.
Historically, the winner of the Miss USA title has represented the United States in its sister Miss Universe pageant. Since its inception, seven Miss USA titleholders have gone on to win Miss Universe. In the mid-1960s, it was established when a Miss USA wins the Miss Universe title, the first runner-up assumes the Miss USA title for the remainder of the year. This has happened in 1980, 1995 and 1997. In 1967, the first runner-up declined the title and the crown went to the second runner-up Cheryl Patton
. The only instance where a first runner-up assumed the title of Miss USA prior to this period was in 1957 when Mary Leona Gage
resigned when it was discovered she was married.
From 1975–2000, all delegates who made the initial cut competed in an interview competition in some format, often involving all semi-finalists. As of 2001, this interview portion was taken away, leaving only the final question for the top five delegates to answer.
From 1979–2002, the average scores of each delegate were shown on the television broadcast and thus the semi-finalists could be ranked. This was changed in 2003 to a "circle" system where judges choose a certain number of delegates to "circle", and those with the most "circles" made the cut. This was the same system that was used prior to the computer scoring system implemented in 1979. In 2007, this system came back and contestants' composite scores are shown live.
and Florida
), local pageants are also held to determine delegates for the state competition. The state winners hold the title "Miss State USA" for the year of their reign.
The most successful state is Texas, which has had the most semi-finalists and winners, including five consecutive Miss USA titleholders during the 1980s. Other successful states include California
, New York
, Alabama
, Tennessee
and Georgia
. The least successful states are Delaware
, the only state that has never placed; Montana
, which has not placed since the 1950s; South Dakota
, which has only placed twice (the last time in 1974), and Wyoming
, which gained only its second placement in 2010. The only state which has produced more than one Miss Universe is South Carolina
.
The Miss Universe Organization
licenses out the state pageants to pageant directors, who in some cases are responsible for more than one state. The most well established directorial groups are RPM Productions, created in 1980 (Louisiana
, North Carolina
, South Carolina), and Vanbros, created in the early 1990s (Arkansas
, Kansas
, Missouri
, Nebraska
and Oklahoma
). Future Productions direct the most states, six, across the Midwest and Rockies.
in 1990; and the first Miss USA of Middle-Eastern descent was Rima Fakih
in 2010.
Brandi Sherwood
is the only woman to have held both the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA titles. She was Miss Idaho Teen USA
, Miss Teen USA
1989, Miss Idaho USA
1997, first runner-up at Miss USA 1997
and in May 1997 assumed the Miss USA title after Brook Lee won the Miss Universe pageant. Nine other Miss USA titleholders have also previously competed at Miss Teen USA
. These include:
Five Miss USA titleholders have also competed at Miss America
. These included: (Miriam Stevenson
, Carlene King Johnson
and Carol Morris
) (1954–1956), Mai Shanley
(1984) and Shandi Finnessey
(2004). Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004 and Miss Missouri
2002 won a preliminary evening gown award at Miss America 2003
. Also, Miriam Stevenson placed in the top 10 at Miss America 1954
as Miss South Carolina
1953.
Many Miss USA winners have gone to pursue careers in the entertainment
industry. Those who have been successful in the industry include Summer Bartholomew
, Deborah Shelton
, Laura Martinez-Herring
, Shanna Moakler
, Ali Landry
, Kenya Moore
, Brandi Sherwood
, Susie Castillo
and Shandi Finnessey
.
File:Rima_Fakih.jpg|Miss USA 2010
Rima Fakih
, who competed as Miss Michigan USA
File:Kristen Dalton 2009.jpg|Miss USA 2009
Kristen Dalton
, who competed as Miss North Carolina USA
File:Miss USA Crystle Stewart at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.jpg|Miss USA 2008
Crystle Stewart
, who competed as Miss Texas USA
File:Rachel Smith headshot.png|Miss USA 2007
Rachel Smith
, who competed as Miss Tennessee USA
File:TaraConneratWillowGrove3.jpg|Miss USA 2006
Tara Conner
, who competed as Miss Kentucky USA
File:Chelsea Cooley 2.jpg|Miss USA 2005
Chelsea Cooley
, who competed as Miss North Carolina USA
File:Shandi Finnessey.jpg|Miss USA 2004
Shandi Finnessey
, who competed as Miss Missouri USA
File:Susie Castillo headshot 2.png|Miss USA 2003
Susie Castillo
, who competed as Miss Massachusetts USA
File:Shauntay Hinton.jpg|Miss USA 2002
Shauntay Hinton
, who competed as Miss District of Columbia USA
File:KandaceKrueger1cropped.jpg|Miss USA 2001
Kandace Krueger
, who competed as Miss Texas USA
File:Brook_Lee.JPG|Miss Universe 1997
Brook Lee, who competed as Miss Hawaii USA
File:Ali Landry 2.jpg|Miss USA 1996
Ali Landry
, who competed as Miss Louisiana USA
File:Shanna Moakler 2010.jpg|Miss USA 1995
Shanna Moakler
, who competed as Miss New York USA
File:Kenya moore sidesmilegoldLB1.JPG|Miss USA 1993
Kenya Moore
, who competed as Miss Michigan USA
File:MichelleRoyer.jpg|Miss USA 1987
Michelle Royer
, who competed as Miss Texas USA
File:ChristyFichtner.jpg|Miss USA 1986
Christy Fichtner
, who competed as Miss Texas USA
File:Laura_Harring_2011.jpg|Miss USA 1985
Laura Harring
, who competed as Miss Texas USA
File:Julie Hayek Miss USA 1983.png|Miss USA 1983
Julie Hayek
, who competed as Miss California USA
} 2001 2008
|-
|
California
|6
|1959 1966 1975 1983 1992 2011
|-
|
New York
|4
|1952 1979 1995 1999
|-
|
Hawaii
|4
|1962 1972 1978 1997
|-
|
Illinois
|4
|1953 1963 1973 1974
|-
|
Michigan
|3
|1990 1993 2010
|-
|
Louisiana
|3
|1958 1961 1996
|-
|
South Carolina
|3
|1954 1980 1994
|-
|
North Carolina
|2
|2005 2009
|-
|
Tennessee
|2
|2000 2007
|-
|
Massachusetts
|2
|1998 2003
|-
|
Washington, D.C.
|2
|1964 2002
|-
|
Ohio
|2
|1965 1981
|-
|
Virginia
|2
|1969 1970
|-
|
Utah
|2
|1957 1960
|-
|
Kentucky
|1
|2006
|-
|
Missouri
|1
|2004
|-
|
Idaho
|1
|1997
|-
|
Kansas
|1
|1991
|-
|
New Mexico
|1
|1984
|-
|
Arkansas
|1
|1982
|-
|
Arizona
|1
|1980
|-
|
Minnesota
|1
|1976
|-
|
Pennsylvania
|1
|1971
|-
|
Washington
|1
|1968
|-
|
Alabama
|1
|1967
|-
|
Florida
|1
|1967
|-
|
Maryland
|1
|1957 (Dethroned)
|-
|
Iowa
|1
|1956
|-
|
Vermont
|1
|1955
|-
|}
Won the Miss Universe Title
Since 1961, the first runner-up takes over the Miss USA title if the reigning Miss USA wins Miss Universe. There was an exception in 1967, when the first-runner up refused the crown and the second runner-up became Miss USA.
Replaced the dethroned Miss USA
The awards most frequently presented at Miss USA are Miss Congeniality and Miss Photogenic.
The Miss Congeniality Award is chosen by the delegates, and recognises those who are the friendliest and make the pageant experience the most enjoyable. In 1952 to 1964, when the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants were concurrent events, the Miss Congeniality Award could be won by a contestant competing either for Miss USA or Miss Universe. In fact, in 1960, there was a tie, with the award going to Miss Burma Myint Myint May and Miss Louisiana USA Rebecca Fletcher. Vermont
has won five Miss Amity awards, two more than any other state.
The Miss Photogenic prize was first awarded 1965 and was chosen by journalists until 1996, when it was chosen by an internet vote for the first time. There has been only one tie in this award's history, in 1980 when it was shared between Jineane Ford
of Arizona
and Elizabeth Kim Thomas of Ohio
. The state that has won the most Photogenic awards is Virginia
.
Other awards that have been presented include Best State Costume (1962–1993), Style (1995–2001) and Most Beautiful Eyes (1993). In 1998, a special Distinguished Achievement award was given to Halle Berry
. Berry was Miss Ohio USA
1986 and placed 1st runner-up to Christy Fichtner
of Texas
. She later went on to become an acclaimed actress and Oscar
winner.
. The competition moved to Miami Beach, Florida
in 1960 and stayed there until 1971. In 1972 the pageant was held in Puerto Rico
, the only time the pageant has been held outside the continental United States. That pageant was rocked by an explosion at the host hotel.
From 1972 onwards the pageant has been held in various locations, generally being held in each location for two to three years.
As of 2010 the pageant has been held in the following states:
, with the victorious contestant taking the title 'Miss Fear Factor USA' and a prize of $
50,000 ($25,000 of which was to be donated to a charity of the winners choice). These were broadcast immediately prior to the live pageant broadcast.
In 2006, Chelsea Cooley
and twenty-six delegates participated as briefcase models in a Miss USA special of Deal or No Deal
.
In 2010, 10 Miss USA and Miss Universe winners will compete for charity on a special "Last Beauty Standing" edition of Minute to Win It
.
shows and other television game shows. Well known delegates who later competed in reality shows are Danni Boatwright
, winner of Survivor: Guatemala
, Nicole O'Brian
and Christie Lee Woods
of The Amazing Race 5
, Jennifer Murphy
of The Apprentice 4 and Tori Fiorenza of The Challenge: Cutthroat
.
In 2007 Pageant Place, a reality television show featuring Rachel Smith
, Riyo Mori
, Hilary Cruz
, Katie Blair
and Tara Conner
aired on MTV.
On June 19th, 2011, Bravo Television's Andy Cohen co-hosted the event's 60th anniversary live in Las Vegas with E! News and Fashion Police's Giuliana Rancic.
Beauty contest
A beauty pageant or beauty contest, is a competition that mainly focuses on the physical beauty of its contestants, although such contests often incorporate personality, talent, and answers to judges' questions as judged criteria...
has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entrant in the Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
pageant. The Miss Universe Organization
Miss Universe Organization
The Miss Universe Organization is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA beauty contests. Based in New York, it is owned jointly by NBC Universal and Donald Trump. The current president is Paula Shugart...
operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
. Miss USA 2011 is Alyssa Campanella
Alyssa Campanella
Alyssa Campanella is a beauty pageant titleholder from the United States, who is the current titleholder and winner of the 2011 Miss USA pageant....
, the current titleholder, who competed as Miss California USA
Miss California USA
Miss California USA is a pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant.The current titleholder is Katie Blair. She succeeded Alyssa Campanella on June 25, 2011 after Campanella was crowned Miss USA 2011....
History
The Miss USA pageant was conceived in 1950 when Yolande BetbezeYolande Betbeze
Yolande Betbeze Fox was Miss America in 1951.Fox entered Miss Alabama for the scholarship opportunities the pageant presented...
, winner of the rival Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
pageant, refused to pose for publicity pictures while wearing a swimsuit. Pageant sponsor Catalina
Catalina swimwear
Catalina is one of the oldest apparel manufacturers in California and one of the best known names in the swimwear industry. Their history began in 1907, as Bentz Knitting Mills, a small manufacturer of underwear and sweaters. The name was changed to Pacific Knitting Mills in 1912, accompanied by...
decided to pull their sponsorship off the pageant, and create their own competition. Other owners have included a subsidiary of Gulf+Western
Gulf+Western
Gulf and Western Industries, Inc., for a number of years known as Gulf+Western, was an American conglomerate.- History :Gulf and Western's prosaic origins date to a manufacturer named Michigan Bumper Co. founded in 1934, though Charles Bluhdorn treated his 1958 takeover of what was then Michigan...
Industries, ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation is a global diversified manufacturing company based in the United States. ITT participates in global markets including water and fluids management, defense and security, and motion and flow control...
, and billionaire Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
, the current owner who bought the pageant in 1996.
The first Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants were held concurrently in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
in 1952; the first Miss USA winner was Miss New York USA
Miss New York USA
The Miss New York USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss USA pageant. Amber Collins is the reigning Miss New York USA 2011...
Jackie Loughery
Jackie Loughery
Jacqueline "Jackie" Loughery is best known as the first Miss New York USA and winner of the first Miss USA beauty pageant, in Long Beach, California. In 1952, she won the title only after a second ballot broke a first-place tie...
. There were thirty delegates in the first year of competition, and many states did not compete every year during the first two decades of the pageant's history. From the 1970s, each state and the District of Columbia have sent a delegate each year. Alaska
Miss Alaska USA
The Miss Alaska USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Alaska in the Miss USA pageant.Alaska's highest placement was in 1964, with Patricia Marlin as the second runner up. Alaska's most recent placement was in 1990 when Karin Meyer placed in the top 6...
first competed in 1959 and Hawaii
Miss Hawaii USA
The Miss Hawaii USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Hawaii in the Miss USA pageant.Hawaii is the most recent state to start competing at Miss USA, as it first competed in 1962. Prior to this delegates were sent to Miss Universe...
in 1960. Both had competed at Miss Universe until this time.
The pageant aired on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
from 1963
1963 in television
The year 1963 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1963.-Events:*January 13 – BBC Television broadcasts the play The Madhouse on Castle Street in the Sunday-Night Theatre strand...
until 2002
2002 in television
The year 2002 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2002.For the American TV schedule, see: 2002–03 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:...
, and for many years was known for having a CBS game show host as pageant host. John Charles Daly
John Charles Daly
John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly (generally known as John Charles Daly or simply John Daly (February 20, 1914 – February 24, 1991) was an American journalist, game show host and radio personality, probably best known for hosting...
hosted the show from 1963–1966, Bob Barker
Bob Barker
Robert William "Bob" Barker is a former American television game show host. He is best known for hosting CBS's The Price Is Right from 1972 to 2007, making it the longest-running daytime game show in North American television history, and for hosting Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1975.Born...
from 1967 until 1987 (at which point he quit in a dispute over fur coats), Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
in 1988, Dick Clark from 1989–1993, and Bob Goen
Bob Goen
Robert Kuehl "Bob" Goen is an American game show emcee and television personality, best known for his work on Entertainment Tonight between 1993 and 2004...
from 1994–1996. The show's highest ratings were in the early 1980s, when it regularly topped the Neilsen ratings. Viewership dropped sharply from the 1990s to the 2000s, from an estimated viewership of 20 million to an average of 7 million from 2000–2001. In 2002, owner Donald Trump brokered a new deal with NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, giving them half-ownership of the Miss USA, Miss Universe and Miss Teen USA and moving them to NBC on an initial five year contract. The pageants were first shown on NBC in 2003.
Historically, the winner of the Miss USA title has represented the United States in its sister Miss Universe pageant. Since its inception, seven Miss USA titleholders have gone on to win Miss Universe. In the mid-1960s, it was established when a Miss USA wins the Miss Universe title, the first runner-up assumes the Miss USA title for the remainder of the year. This has happened in 1980, 1995 and 1997. In 1967, the first runner-up declined the title and the crown went to the second runner-up Cheryl Patton
Cheryl Patton
Cheryl Patton is a pageant titleholder from North Miami Beach, Florida who has held the Miss USA title.In 1966 Patton was a runner-up in the Miss Florida World pageant. The following year she won the Miss Florida USA 1967 title and represented Florida in the Miss USA 1967 pageant held in Miami...
. The only instance where a first runner-up assumed the title of Miss USA prior to this period was in 1957 when Mary Leona Gage
Mary Leona Gage
Mary Leona Gage was a beauty queen from Maryland who was crowned Miss USA 1957, the first, and so far, only woman from that state to capture the Miss USA crown...
resigned when it was discovered she was married.
Competition
The modern pageant consists of a preliminary competition, held in the week before the pageant where all contestants are judged in swimsuit, gown, and interview. From this, semifinalists are chosen, and they are announced during the live broadcast of the final competition. These semifinalists then compete in swimsuit and evening gown, and the finalists are chosen. This is when the interview competition is held. The runners-up and winner are announced at the end of the telecast. Since 1997, the judges for the finals have been different from those who judged the Preliminary competition.From 1975–2000, all delegates who made the initial cut competed in an interview competition in some format, often involving all semi-finalists. As of 2001, this interview portion was taken away, leaving only the final question for the top five delegates to answer.
From 1979–2002, the average scores of each delegate were shown on the television broadcast and thus the semi-finalists could be ranked. This was changed in 2003 to a "circle" system where judges choose a certain number of delegates to "circle", and those with the most "circles" made the cut. This was the same system that was used prior to the computer scoring system implemented in 1979. In 2007, this system came back and contestants' composite scores are shown live.
State competitions
Every year, each state holds a preliminary competition to choose their delegate for the Miss USA pageant. In some states (such as TexasMiss Texas USA
The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe....
and Florida
Miss Florida USA
The Miss Florida USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Florida in the Miss USA pageant.While Florida has been successful in terms of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, the state has never won the Miss USA pageant, although Cheryl Patton became Miss USA...
), local pageants are also held to determine delegates for the state competition. The state winners hold the title "Miss State USA" for the year of their reign.
The most successful state is Texas, which has had the most semi-finalists and winners, including five consecutive Miss USA titleholders during the 1980s. Other successful states include California
Miss California USA
Miss California USA is a pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant.The current titleholder is Katie Blair. She succeeded Alyssa Campanella on June 25, 2011 after Campanella was crowned Miss USA 2011....
, New York
Miss New York USA
The Miss New York USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss USA pageant. Amber Collins is the reigning Miss New York USA 2011...
, Alabama
Miss Alabama USA
The Miss Alabama USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Alabama in the Miss USA pageant.Alabama is one of the more successful and consistent states at Miss USA. Although they have had a number of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, they have only...
, Tennessee
Miss Tennessee USA
The Miss Tennessee USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss USA pageant.Since 2001 the pageant has been held in the auditorium at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee....
and Georgia
Miss Georgia USA
The Miss Georgia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Georgia in the Miss USA pageant.Historically, Georgia has been the eleventh most successful state at Miss USA and has performed in more recent years, placing eighth on the table of most successful states...
. The least successful states are Delaware
Miss Delaware USA
The Miss Delaware USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Delaware in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant is directed by D&D Investments....
, the only state that has never placed; Montana
Miss Montana USA
The Miss Montana USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Montana in the Miss USA pageant.Montana is one of the least successful states in Miss USA history, but there has been success in other pageants. Miss Montana USA 2005 Amanda Kimmel was chosen to...
, which has not placed since the 1950s; South Dakota
Miss South Dakota USA
The Miss South Dakota USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of South Dakota in the Miss USA pageant. This state pageant is currently directed by Future Productions....
, which has only placed twice (the last time in 1974), and Wyoming
Miss Wyoming USA
, Miss Wyoming USA 2012]]The Miss Wyoming USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Wyoming in the Miss USA pageant. The Miss Wyoming USA pageant is currently produced by Future Productions....
, which gained only its second placement in 2010. The only state which has produced more than one Miss Universe is South Carolina
Miss South Carolina USA
The Miss South Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state South Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant has been produced by RPM Productions since 1980....
.
The Miss Universe Organization
Miss Universe Organization
The Miss Universe Organization is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA beauty contests. Based in New York, it is owned jointly by NBC Universal and Donald Trump. The current president is Paula Shugart...
licenses out the state pageants to pageant directors, who in some cases are responsible for more than one state. The most well established directorial groups are RPM Productions, created in 1980 (Louisiana
Miss Louisiana USA
The Miss Louisiana USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Louisiana in the Miss USA pageant.Louisiana is one of the most successful states at Miss USA and is one of only seven states to have had three or more Miss USAs.Three Miss Louisiana USA titleholders...
, North Carolina
Miss North Carolina USA
The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group....
, South Carolina), and Vanbros, created in the early 1990s (Arkansas
Miss Arkansas USA
The Miss Arkansas USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Arkansas in the Miss USA pageant.The state pageant was directed by Premier Pageants from 2002 to 2007 before becoming part of the Vanbros organization in 2007...
, Kansas
Miss Kansas USA
The Miss Kansas USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state of Kansas in the Miss USA pageant.Kansas did not place at Miss USA until 1973, the third-to-last state to make their first placement. From then, no delegate from Kansas made the cut until 1991, when Kelli...
, Missouri
Miss Missouri USA
The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
, Nebraska
Miss Nebraska USA
The Miss Nebraska USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Nebraska in the Miss USA pageant.In 2002, Nebraska joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
and Oklahoma
Miss Oklahoma USA
For the article about the Miss America state pageant, see Miss OklahomaThe Miss Oklahoma USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Oklahoma in the Miss USA pageant....
). Future Productions direct the most states, six, across the Midwest and Rockies.
Winners
The first Asian American woman to win Miss USA was Macel Wilson in 1962; the first Hispanic was Laura Martinez-Herring in 1985; the first African-American, Carole GistCarole Gist
Carole Anne-Marie Gist was the first African American woman to win the Miss USA title. Gist first won the title of Miss Michigan USA and went on to win the Miss USA crown on March 2, 1990 in Wichita, Kansas...
in 1990; and the first Miss USA of Middle-Eastern descent was Rima Fakih
Rima Fakih
Rima Fakih is an American beauty pageant contestant, and winner of the 2010 Miss USA title, and is also training to be a professional wrestler in WWE as a WWE Diva. She represented the state of Michigan in the Miss USA 2010 pageant, having previously won the 2010 Miss Michigan USA competition...
in 2010.
Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood is an American model and pageant winner. She was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She was Miss USA 1997 and Miss Teen USA 1989 and was a frequent rotating Barker's Beauty model on the US daytime television game show The Price Is Right from 2002-2009.-Pageant history:In 1997, she won...
is the only woman to have held both the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA titles. She was Miss Idaho Teen USA
Miss Idaho Teen USA
The Miss Idaho Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Idaho in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Idaho has only placed twice and as such is one of the least successful states at Miss Teen USA...
, Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
1989, Miss Idaho USA
Miss Idaho USA
The Miss Idaho USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state of Idaho in the Miss USA pageant.Idaho is one of the least successful states in the history of the competition, with only four placements in fifty-seven years...
1997, first runner-up at Miss USA 1997
Miss USA 1997
Miss USA 1997, the forty-sixth Miss USA pageant, was held at Shreveport, Louisiana in January and February, 1997. Delegates arrived in the city on January 19, the preliminary competition was held on February 2, 1997 and the final competition on February 5, 1997...
and in May 1997 assumed the Miss USA title after Brook Lee won the Miss Universe pageant. Nine other Miss USA titleholders have also previously competed at Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
. These include:
- Shanna MoaklerShanna MoaklerShanna Lynn Moakler is an American model, actress, reality television star and a former beauty queen. She was the winner of the Miss New York USA pageant in 1995 and was originally the first runner-up at Miss USA 1995. She was later crowned Miss USA after Chelsi Smith won Miss Universe...
(1995), (Miss Rhode Island Teen USAMiss Rhode Island Teen USAThe Miss Rhode Island Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Rhode Island in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1992), Ali LandryAli LandryAli Germaine Landry is a former Miss USA , model and actress. She is perhaps best known as the Doritos Girl from her 1998 Super Bowl commercial, and for her portrayal of Rita Lefleur on the UPN sitcom Eve. In 1998, she was named by People magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world.-...
(1996), (Miss Louisiana Teen USAMiss Louisiana Teen USAThe Miss Louisiana Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Louisiana in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1990), Kimberly PresslerKimberly PresslerKimberly Pressler is an entertainment presenter and former Miss USA. She is one of few women to win both the Miss New York Teen USA and Miss New York USA titles.-Pageant career:...
(1999) (Miss New York Teen USAMiss New York Teen USAThe Miss New York Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Like the first Miss USA competition , the first Miss Teen USA competition was won by a Miss New York Teen USA. That winner was Ruth Zakarian, who went on to...
1994), Lynnette ColeLynnette ColeLynnette Cole-O'Nan , won the title Miss Tennessee USA in 2000. She went on to become the first woman from that state to win the Miss USA pageant, which was held in Branson, Missouri on February 4, 2000....
(2000) (Miss Tennessee Teen USAMiss Tennessee Teen USAThe Miss Tennessee Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Tennessee in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1995), Susie CastilloSusie CastilloSusie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants...
(2003) (Miss Massachusetts Teen USAMiss Massachusetts Teen USAThe Miss Massachusetts Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1998), Chelsea CooleyChelsea CooleyChelsea Cooley is a beauty queen from Charlotte, North Carolina who has competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and who has held the Miss USA 2005 title....
(2005) (Miss North Carolina Teen USAMiss North Carolina Teen USAThe Miss North Carolina Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of North Carolina in the Miss Teen USA pageant and is part of the RPM Productions group....
2000), Tara ConnerTara ConnerTara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,...
(2006) (Miss Kentucky Teen USAMiss Kentucky Teen USAThe Miss Kentucky Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Kentucky is ranked eight in terms of place and value of placements across all twenty-three years of competition at Miss Teen USA. When this is broken down to...
2002), Rachel SmithRachel SmithRachel Renee Smith is an American beauty queen and television personality from Clarksville, Tennessee, who won the Miss USA pageant in 2007 and who previously had competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant.-Early life:...
(2007) (Miss Tennessee Teen USAMiss Tennessee Teen USAThe Miss Tennessee Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Tennessee in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
2002) and Alyssa CampanellaAlyssa CampanellaAlyssa Campanella is a beauty pageant titleholder from the United States, who is the current titleholder and winner of the 2011 Miss USA pageant....
(2011) (Miss New Jersey Teen USAMiss New Jersey Teen USAThe Miss New Jersey Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New Jersey in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
2007).
Five Miss USA titleholders have also competed at Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
. These included: (Miriam Stevenson
Miriam Stevenson
Miriam Jacqueline Stevenson born 4 July 1933, of Winnsboro, South Carolina, won the Miss USA pageant as Miss South Carolina USA in 1954. She was the first Miss USA to hold the Miss Universe beauty crown....
, Carlene King Johnson
Carlene King Johnson
Carlene King Johnson Drake was Miss USA 1955.After winning the Miss Vermont USA crown, Johnson, from Rutland, Vermont went on to become Vermont's only representative to achieve the title of Miss USA. Previously, she was Miss Vermont 1953.Johnson was born to Dr. Norman & Katherine King Johnson....
and Carol Morris
Carol Morris
Carol Ann Laverne Morris , Miss Iowa USA, was the second Miss USA to win the Miss Universe title in the pageant's fifth edition in 1956....
) (1954–1956), Mai Shanley
Mai Shanley
Mai Therese Shanley , Miss New Mexico USA, Miss USA 1984, is a former beauty queen. Her mother is ethnically Taiwanese and is from Taiwan, while her father is Irish American....
(1984) and Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award...
(2004). Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004 and Miss Missouri
Miss Missouri
The Miss Missouri competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Missouri in the Miss America pageant.-History:From 1935 to 1970, the Miss Missouri pageant was held in a number of locations, including St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield.In 1970, the pageant was held...
2002 won a preliminary evening gown award at Miss America 2003
Miss America 2003
Miss America 2003, the 82nd Miss America, pageant, was televised live from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 21, 2002 on the ABC Network...
. Also, Miriam Stevenson placed in the top 10 at Miss America 1954
Miss America 1954
Miss America 1954, the 27th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 12, 1953. Though four women from the state had previously held the title , Ay was the first Miss Pennsylvania to be crowned Miss America, as the others had represented...
as Miss South Carolina
Miss South Carolina
The Miss South Carolina competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of South Carolina in the Miss America pageant. The pageant was first held in Myrtle Beach and moved to Greenville starting in 1958 and remained in that city until the 90s. Spartanburg has hosted the...
1953.
Many Miss USA winners have gone to pursue careers in the entertainment
Entertainment
Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...
industry. Those who have been successful in the industry include Summer Bartholomew
Summer Bartholomew
Summer Robin Bartholomew is a model and actress who won the 1975 Miss USA pageant.Her first pageant experience came in 1973 when she won the Miss Oktoberfest title....
, Deborah Shelton
Deborah Shelton
Deborah 'Debbie' Shelton is an American beauty queen and actress who held the Miss USA title and appeared on Dallas for three seasons.-Pageants:In 1970 Shelton competed in the Miss Virginia USA pageant to spite her then boyfriend...
, Laura Martinez-Herring
Laura Harring
Laura Harring is a Mexican-American actress and former Miss USA . She is known for her role as Rita in Mulholland Drive.-Early life:...
, Shanna Moakler
Shanna Moakler
Shanna Lynn Moakler is an American model, actress, reality television star and a former beauty queen. She was the winner of the Miss New York USA pageant in 1995 and was originally the first runner-up at Miss USA 1995. She was later crowned Miss USA after Chelsi Smith won Miss Universe...
, Ali Landry
Ali Landry
Ali Germaine Landry is a former Miss USA , model and actress. She is perhaps best known as the Doritos Girl from her 1998 Super Bowl commercial, and for her portrayal of Rita Lefleur on the UPN sitcom Eve. In 1998, she was named by People magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world.-...
, Kenya Moore
Kenya Moore
Kenya Summer Moore is an American film and television actress, producer, beauty queen, model and author.She is recognizable for her roles in movies such as Waiting to Exhale, Deliver Us from Eva and the 2007 Lindsay Lohan thriller I Know Who Killed Me...
, Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood is an American model and pageant winner. She was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She was Miss USA 1997 and Miss Teen USA 1989 and was a frequent rotating Barker's Beauty model on the US daytime television game show The Price Is Right from 2002-2009.-Pageant history:In 1997, she won...
, Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants...
and Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award...
.
Recent titleholders
| Year | Miss USA | State Represented | Host City | Placement at Miss Universe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Miss USA 2011 Miss USA 2011, the 60th anniversary of the Miss USA pageant, was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, June 19, 2011. Miss USA 2010, Rima Fakih of Michigan crowned her successor, Alyssa Campanella of California, at the end... |
Alyssa Campanella Alyssa Campanella Alyssa Campanella is a beauty pageant titleholder from the United States, who is the current titleholder and winner of the 2011 Miss USA pageant.... |
 CaliforniaCalifornia California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas metropolitan area The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Top 16 Semi-finalist |
| 2010 Miss USA 2010 Miss USA 2010, the 59th edition of the Miss USA pageant, was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 16, 2010. Miss USA 2009, Kristen Dalton of North Carolina, crowned her successor, Rima Fakih of Michigan as Miss USA 2010 at the... |
Rima Fakih Rima Fakih Rima Fakih is an American beauty pageant contestant, and winner of the 2010 Miss USA title, and is also training to be a professional wrestler in WWE as a WWE Diva. She represented the state of Michigan in the Miss USA 2010 pageant, having previously won the 2010 Miss Michigan USA competition... |
 MichiganMiss Michigan USA The Miss Michigan USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Michigan in the Miss USA pageant.Michigan is recognized by as being within the top 15 states in terms of Miss USA success. Their first Miss USA victory was in 1990, and notable because Carole Gist... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas metropolitan area The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Non-Finalist |
| 2009 Miss USA 2009 Miss USA 2009, the 58th Miss USA pageant was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19, 2009... |
Kristen Dalton Kristen Dalton (Miss USA) Kristen Jeannine Dalton , from Wilmington, North Carolina, is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2009.-Biography:Dalton is the daughter of Jeannine Dalton who was Miss North Carolina USA 1982... |
 North CarolinaMiss North Carolina USA The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group.... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Top 10 Finalist |
| 2008 Miss USA 2008 Miss USA 2008, the 57th Miss USA beauty pageant, was held in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 11, 2008. At the conclusion of the final night of competition, Crystle Stewart, Miss Texas USA, was crowned the winner by outgoing titleholder, Rachel Smith of Tennessee... |
Crystle Stewart Crystle Stewart Crystle Danae Stewart , from Missouri City, Texas, is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2008. She was born to Robert & Cynthia Franklin Stewart... |
 TexasMiss Texas USA The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe.... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Top 10 Finalist |
| 2007 Miss USA 2007 Miss USA 2007, the 56th Miss USA pageant, was held in Hollywood, California, on March 23, 2007, after two weeks of events and preliminary competition. The winner of the pageant was Rachel Smith, of Tennessee.... |
Rachel Smith Rachel Smith Rachel Renee Smith is an American beauty queen and television personality from Clarksville, Tennessee, who won the Miss USA pageant in 2007 and who previously had competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant.-Early life:... |
 TennesseeMiss Tennessee USA The Miss Tennessee USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss USA pageant.Since 2001 the pageant has been held in the auditorium at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.... |
Hollywood, California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
4th runner-up |
| 2006 Miss USA 2006 Miss USA 2006, the 55th Miss USA pageant, was held at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland on April 21, 2006. Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title, which was won by Tara Conner of Kentucky... |
Tara Conner Tara Conner Tara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,... |
 KentuckyMiss Kentucky USA The Miss Kentucky USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss USA pageant. The current director for the Miss Kentucky USA and Miss Kentucky Teen USA titles is Connie Clark Harrison. Mrs... |
Baltimore, Maryland Maryland Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east... |
4th runner-up |
| 2005 Miss USA 2005 Miss USA 2005, the 54th Miss USA pageant, was held in Baltimore, Maryland in April 11, 2005. It was won by Chelsea Cooley of North Carolina.Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title of Miss USA in the Hippodrome Theatre on April 11, 2005... |
Chelsea Cooley Chelsea Cooley Chelsea Cooley is a beauty queen from Charlotte, North Carolina who has competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and who has held the Miss USA 2005 title.... |
North Carolina Miss North Carolina USA The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group.... |
Baltimore, Maryland Maryland Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east... |
Top 10 Finalist |
| 2004 Miss USA 2004 The Miss USA 2004 pageant was held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on April 12, 2004. The winner of the beauty pageant was Shandi Finnessey, who became the first winner from the state of Missouri... |
Shandi Finnessey Shandi Finnessey Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award... |
 MissouriMiss Missouri USA The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system.... |
Hollywood, California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
1st runner-up |
| 2003 Miss USA 2003 The Miss USA 2003 pageant was held in San Antonio, Texas March 24, 2003, the first time it had been held in this state since 1996 when the pageant was held in South Padre Island... |
Susie Castillo Susie Castillo Susie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants... |
 MassachusettsMiss Massachusetts USA The Miss Massachusetts USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss USA pageant.... |
San Antonio San Antonio, Texas San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,... , Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
Top 15 Semi-finalist |
| 2002 Miss USA 2002 The Miss USA 2002 pageant was held in Gary, Indiana on March 2, 2002. The event was won by Shauntay Hinton of the District of Columbia, who was crowned by outgoing queen Kandace Krueger of Texas.... |
Shauntay Hinton Shauntay Hinton Shauntay Hinton is an actress and former beauty queen from Starkville, Mississippi who won the Miss USA title in 2002.-Education:Hinton graduated from Starkville High School in 1997. She later studied broadcast communications at Howard University.... |
 District of ColumbiaMiss District of Columbia USA The Miss District of Columbia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the District of Columbia in the Miss USA pageant.... |
Gary Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known... , Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... |
Non Finalist |
| 2001 Miss USA 2001 Miss USA 2001, the 50th edition of the Miss USA pageant was held at the Genesis Convention Center, Gary, Indiana on March 2, 2001. The event was won by Kandace Krueger of Texas, who was crowned by outgoing queen Lynnette Cole of Tennessee.... |
Kandace Krueger Kandace Krueger Kandace Gayle Krueger Matthews is an American television personality and former beauty queen who has held the Miss USA title. She was born and raised in Austin, Texas. She was born to Larry & Barbara Johnson Krueger... |
Texas Miss Texas USA The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe.... |
Gary Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known... , Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... |
2nd runner-up |
Winners gallery
The Miss USA beauty contestBeauty contest
A beauty pageant or beauty contest, is a competition that mainly focuses on the physical beauty of its contestants, although such contests often incorporate personality, talent, and answers to judges' questions as judged criteria...
has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entrant in the Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
pageant. The Miss Universe Organization
Miss Universe Organization
The Miss Universe Organization is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA beauty contests. Based in New York, it is owned jointly by NBC Universal and Donald Trump. The current president is Paula Shugart...
operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
. Miss USA 2011 is Alyssa Campanella
Alyssa Campanella
Alyssa Campanella is a beauty pageant titleholder from the United States, who is the current titleholder and winner of the 2011 Miss USA pageant....
, the current titleholder, who competed as Miss California USA
Miss California USA
Miss California USA is a pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant.The current titleholder is Katie Blair. She succeeded Alyssa Campanella on June 25, 2011 after Campanella was crowned Miss USA 2011....
History
The Miss USA pageant was conceived in 1950 when Yolande BetbezeYolande Betbeze
Yolande Betbeze Fox was Miss America in 1951.Fox entered Miss Alabama for the scholarship opportunities the pageant presented...
, winner of the rival Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
pageant, refused to pose for publicity pictures while wearing a swimsuit. Pageant sponsor Catalina
Catalina swimwear
Catalina is one of the oldest apparel manufacturers in California and one of the best known names in the swimwear industry. Their history began in 1907, as Bentz Knitting Mills, a small manufacturer of underwear and sweaters. The name was changed to Pacific Knitting Mills in 1912, accompanied by...
decided to pull their sponsorship off the pageant, and create their own competition. Other owners have included a subsidiary of Gulf+Western
Gulf+Western
Gulf and Western Industries, Inc., for a number of years known as Gulf+Western, was an American conglomerate.- History :Gulf and Western's prosaic origins date to a manufacturer named Michigan Bumper Co. founded in 1934, though Charles Bluhdorn treated his 1958 takeover of what was then Michigan...
Industries, ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation is a global diversified manufacturing company based in the United States. ITT participates in global markets including water and fluids management, defense and security, and motion and flow control...
, and billionaire Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
, the current owner who bought the pageant in 1996.
The first Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants were held concurrently in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
in 1952; the first Miss USA winner was Miss New York USA
Miss New York USA
The Miss New York USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss USA pageant. Amber Collins is the reigning Miss New York USA 2011...
Jackie Loughery
Jackie Loughery
Jacqueline "Jackie" Loughery is best known as the first Miss New York USA and winner of the first Miss USA beauty pageant, in Long Beach, California. In 1952, she won the title only after a second ballot broke a first-place tie...
. There were thirty delegates in the first year of competition, and many states did not compete every year during the first two decades of the pageant's history. From the 1970s, each state and the District of Columbia have sent a delegate each year. Alaska
Miss Alaska USA
The Miss Alaska USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Alaska in the Miss USA pageant.Alaska's highest placement was in 1964, with Patricia Marlin as the second runner up. Alaska's most recent placement was in 1990 when Karin Meyer placed in the top 6...
first competed in 1959 and Hawaii
Miss Hawaii USA
The Miss Hawaii USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Hawaii in the Miss USA pageant.Hawaii is the most recent state to start competing at Miss USA, as it first competed in 1962. Prior to this delegates were sent to Miss Universe...
in 1960. Both had competed at Miss Universe until this time.
The pageant aired on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
from 1963
1963 in television
The year 1963 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1963.-Events:*January 13 – BBC Television broadcasts the play The Madhouse on Castle Street in the Sunday-Night Theatre strand...
until 2002
2002 in television
The year 2002 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2002.For the American TV schedule, see: 2002–03 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:...
, and for many years was known for having a CBS game show host as pageant host. John Charles Daly
John Charles Daly
John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly (generally known as John Charles Daly or simply John Daly (February 20, 1914 – February 24, 1991) was an American journalist, game show host and radio personality, probably best known for hosting...
hosted the show from 1963–1966, Bob Barker
Bob Barker
Robert William "Bob" Barker is a former American television game show host. He is best known for hosting CBS's The Price Is Right from 1972 to 2007, making it the longest-running daytime game show in North American television history, and for hosting Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1975.Born...
from 1967 until 1987 (at which point he quit in a dispute over fur coats), Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
in 1988, Dick Clark from 1989–1993, and Bob Goen
Bob Goen
Robert Kuehl "Bob" Goen is an American game show emcee and television personality, best known for his work on Entertainment Tonight between 1993 and 2004...
from 1994–1996. The show's highest ratings were in the early 1980s, when it regularly topped the Neilsen ratings. Viewership dropped sharply from the 1990s to the 2000s, from an estimated viewership of 20 million to an average of 7 million from 2000–2001. In 2002, owner Donald Trump brokered a new deal with NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, giving them half-ownership of the Miss USA, Miss Universe and Miss Teen USA and moving them to NBC on an initial five year contract. The pageants were first shown on NBC in 2003.
Historically, the winner of the Miss USA title has represented the United States in its sister Miss Universe pageant. Since its inception, seven Miss USA titleholders have gone on to win Miss Universe. In the mid-1960s, it was established when a Miss USA wins the Miss Universe title, the first runner-up assumes the Miss USA title for the remainder of the year. This has happened in 1980, 1995 and 1997. In 1967, the first runner-up declined the title and the crown went to the second runner-up Cheryl Patton
Cheryl Patton
Cheryl Patton is a pageant titleholder from North Miami Beach, Florida who has held the Miss USA title.In 1966 Patton was a runner-up in the Miss Florida World pageant. The following year she won the Miss Florida USA 1967 title and represented Florida in the Miss USA 1967 pageant held in Miami...
. The only instance where a first runner-up assumed the title of Miss USA prior to this period was in 1957 when Mary Leona Gage
Mary Leona Gage
Mary Leona Gage was a beauty queen from Maryland who was crowned Miss USA 1957, the first, and so far, only woman from that state to capture the Miss USA crown...
resigned when it was discovered she was married.
Competition
The modern pageant consists of a preliminary competition, held in the week before the pageant where all contestants are judged in swimsuit, gown, and interview. From this, semifinalists are chosen, and they are announced during the live broadcast of the final competition. These semifinalists then compete in swimsuit and evening gown, and the finalists are chosen. This is when the interview competition is held. The runners-up and winner are announced at the end of the telecast. Since 1997, the judges for the finals have been different from those who judged the Preliminary competition.From 1975–2000, all delegates who made the initial cut competed in an interview competition in some format, often involving all semi-finalists. As of 2001, this interview portion was taken away, leaving only the final question for the top five delegates to answer.
From 1979–2002, the average scores of each delegate were shown on the television broadcast and thus the semi-finalists could be ranked. This was changed in 2003 to a "circle" system where judges choose a certain number of delegates to "circle", and those with the most "circles" made the cut. This was the same system that was used prior to the computer scoring system implemented in 1979. In 2007, this system came back and contestants' composite scores are shown live.
State competitions
Every year, each state holds a preliminary competition to choose their delegate for the Miss USA pageant. In some states (such as TexasMiss Texas USA
The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe....
and Florida
Miss Florida USA
The Miss Florida USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Florida in the Miss USA pageant.While Florida has been successful in terms of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, the state has never won the Miss USA pageant, although Cheryl Patton became Miss USA...
), local pageants are also held to determine delegates for the state competition. The state winners hold the title "Miss State USA" for the year of their reign.
The most successful state is Texas, which has had the most semi-finalists and winners, including five consecutive Miss USA titleholders during the 1980s. Other successful states include California
Miss California USA
Miss California USA is a pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant.The current titleholder is Katie Blair. She succeeded Alyssa Campanella on June 25, 2011 after Campanella was crowned Miss USA 2011....
, New York
Miss New York USA
The Miss New York USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss USA pageant. Amber Collins is the reigning Miss New York USA 2011...
, Alabama
Miss Alabama USA
The Miss Alabama USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Alabama in the Miss USA pageant.Alabama is one of the more successful and consistent states at Miss USA. Although they have had a number of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, they have only...
, Tennessee
Miss Tennessee USA
The Miss Tennessee USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss USA pageant.Since 2001 the pageant has been held in the auditorium at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee....
and Georgia
Miss Georgia USA
The Miss Georgia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Georgia in the Miss USA pageant.Historically, Georgia has been the eleventh most successful state at Miss USA and has performed in more recent years, placing eighth on the table of most successful states...
. The least successful states are Delaware
Miss Delaware USA
The Miss Delaware USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Delaware in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant is directed by D&D Investments....
, the only state that has never placed; Montana
Miss Montana USA
The Miss Montana USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Montana in the Miss USA pageant.Montana is one of the least successful states in Miss USA history, but there has been success in other pageants. Miss Montana USA 2005 Amanda Kimmel was chosen to...
, which has not placed since the 1950s; South Dakota
Miss South Dakota USA
The Miss South Dakota USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of South Dakota in the Miss USA pageant. This state pageant is currently directed by Future Productions....
, which has only placed twice (the last time in 1974), and Wyoming
Miss Wyoming USA
, Miss Wyoming USA 2012]]The Miss Wyoming USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Wyoming in the Miss USA pageant. The Miss Wyoming USA pageant is currently produced by Future Productions....
, which gained only its second placement in 2010. The only state which has produced more than one Miss Universe is South Carolina
Miss South Carolina USA
The Miss South Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state South Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant has been produced by RPM Productions since 1980....
.
The Miss Universe Organization
Miss Universe Organization
The Miss Universe Organization is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA beauty contests. Based in New York, it is owned jointly by NBC Universal and Donald Trump. The current president is Paula Shugart...
licenses out the state pageants to pageant directors, who in some cases are responsible for more than one state. The most well established directorial groups are RPM Productions, created in 1980 (Louisiana
Miss Louisiana USA
The Miss Louisiana USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Louisiana in the Miss USA pageant.Louisiana is one of the most successful states at Miss USA and is one of only seven states to have had three or more Miss USAs.Three Miss Louisiana USA titleholders...
, North Carolina
Miss North Carolina USA
The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group....
, South Carolina), and Vanbros, created in the early 1990s (Arkansas
Miss Arkansas USA
The Miss Arkansas USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Arkansas in the Miss USA pageant.The state pageant was directed by Premier Pageants from 2002 to 2007 before becoming part of the Vanbros organization in 2007...
, Kansas
Miss Kansas USA
The Miss Kansas USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state of Kansas in the Miss USA pageant.Kansas did not place at Miss USA until 1973, the third-to-last state to make their first placement. From then, no delegate from Kansas made the cut until 1991, when Kelli...
, Missouri
Miss Missouri USA
The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
, Nebraska
Miss Nebraska USA
The Miss Nebraska USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Nebraska in the Miss USA pageant.In 2002, Nebraska joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
and Oklahoma
Miss Oklahoma USA
For the article about the Miss America state pageant, see Miss OklahomaThe Miss Oklahoma USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Oklahoma in the Miss USA pageant....
). Future Productions direct the most states, six, across the Midwest and Rockies.
Winners
The first Asian American woman to win Miss USA was Macel Wilson in 1962; the first Hispanic was Laura Martinez-Herring in 1985; the first African-American, Carole GistCarole Gist
Carole Anne-Marie Gist was the first African American woman to win the Miss USA title. Gist first won the title of Miss Michigan USA and went on to win the Miss USA crown on March 2, 1990 in Wichita, Kansas...
in 1990; and the first Miss USA of Middle-Eastern descent was Rima Fakih
Rima Fakih
Rima Fakih is an American beauty pageant contestant, and winner of the 2010 Miss USA title, and is also training to be a professional wrestler in WWE as a WWE Diva. She represented the state of Michigan in the Miss USA 2010 pageant, having previously won the 2010 Miss Michigan USA competition...
in 2010.
Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood is an American model and pageant winner. She was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She was Miss USA 1997 and Miss Teen USA 1989 and was a frequent rotating Barker's Beauty model on the US daytime television game show The Price Is Right from 2002-2009.-Pageant history:In 1997, she won...
is the only woman to have held both the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA titles. She was Miss Idaho Teen USA
Miss Idaho Teen USA
The Miss Idaho Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Idaho in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Idaho has only placed twice and as such is one of the least successful states at Miss Teen USA...
, Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
1989, Miss Idaho USA
Miss Idaho USA
The Miss Idaho USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state of Idaho in the Miss USA pageant.Idaho is one of the least successful states in the history of the competition, with only four placements in fifty-seven years...
1997, first runner-up at Miss USA 1997
Miss USA 1997
Miss USA 1997, the forty-sixth Miss USA pageant, was held at Shreveport, Louisiana in January and February, 1997. Delegates arrived in the city on January 19, the preliminary competition was held on February 2, 1997 and the final competition on February 5, 1997...
and in May 1997 assumed the Miss USA title after Brook Lee won the Miss Universe pageant. Nine other Miss USA titleholders have also previously competed at Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
. These include:
- Shanna MoaklerShanna MoaklerShanna Lynn Moakler is an American model, actress, reality television star and a former beauty queen. She was the winner of the Miss New York USA pageant in 1995 and was originally the first runner-up at Miss USA 1995. She was later crowned Miss USA after Chelsi Smith won Miss Universe...
(1995), (Miss Rhode Island Teen USAMiss Rhode Island Teen USAThe Miss Rhode Island Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Rhode Island in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1992), Ali LandryAli LandryAli Germaine Landry is a former Miss USA , model and actress. She is perhaps best known as the Doritos Girl from her 1998 Super Bowl commercial, and for her portrayal of Rita Lefleur on the UPN sitcom Eve. In 1998, she was named by People magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world.-...
(1996), (Miss Louisiana Teen USAMiss Louisiana Teen USAThe Miss Louisiana Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Louisiana in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1990), Kimberly PresslerKimberly PresslerKimberly Pressler is an entertainment presenter and former Miss USA. She is one of few women to win both the Miss New York Teen USA and Miss New York USA titles.-Pageant career:...
(1999) (Miss New York Teen USAMiss New York Teen USAThe Miss New York Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Like the first Miss USA competition , the first Miss Teen USA competition was won by a Miss New York Teen USA. That winner was Ruth Zakarian, who went on to...
1994), Lynnette ColeLynnette ColeLynnette Cole-O'Nan , won the title Miss Tennessee USA in 2000. She went on to become the first woman from that state to win the Miss USA pageant, which was held in Branson, Missouri on February 4, 2000....
(2000) (Miss Tennessee Teen USAMiss Tennessee Teen USAThe Miss Tennessee Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Tennessee in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1995), Susie CastilloSusie CastilloSusie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants...
(2003) (Miss Massachusetts Teen USAMiss Massachusetts Teen USAThe Miss Massachusetts Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1998), Chelsea CooleyChelsea CooleyChelsea Cooley is a beauty queen from Charlotte, North Carolina who has competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and who has held the Miss USA 2005 title....
(2005) (Miss North Carolina Teen USAMiss North Carolina Teen USAThe Miss North Carolina Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of North Carolina in the Miss Teen USA pageant and is part of the RPM Productions group....
2000), Tara ConnerTara ConnerTara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,...
(2006) (Miss Kentucky Teen USAMiss Kentucky Teen USAThe Miss Kentucky Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Kentucky is ranked eight in terms of place and value of placements across all twenty-three years of competition at Miss Teen USA. When this is broken down to...
2002), Rachel SmithRachel SmithRachel Renee Smith is an American beauty queen and television personality from Clarksville, Tennessee, who won the Miss USA pageant in 2007 and who previously had competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant.-Early life:...
(2007) (Miss Tennessee Teen USAMiss Tennessee Teen USAThe Miss Tennessee Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Tennessee in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
2002) and Alyssa CampanellaAlyssa CampanellaAlyssa Campanella is a beauty pageant titleholder from the United States, who is the current titleholder and winner of the 2011 Miss USA pageant....
(2011) (Miss New Jersey Teen USAMiss New Jersey Teen USAThe Miss New Jersey Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New Jersey in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
2007).
Five Miss USA titleholders have also competed at Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
. These included: (Miriam Stevenson
Miriam Stevenson
Miriam Jacqueline Stevenson born 4 July 1933, of Winnsboro, South Carolina, won the Miss USA pageant as Miss South Carolina USA in 1954. She was the first Miss USA to hold the Miss Universe beauty crown....
, Carlene King Johnson
Carlene King Johnson
Carlene King Johnson Drake was Miss USA 1955.After winning the Miss Vermont USA crown, Johnson, from Rutland, Vermont went on to become Vermont's only representative to achieve the title of Miss USA. Previously, she was Miss Vermont 1953.Johnson was born to Dr. Norman & Katherine King Johnson....
and Carol Morris
Carol Morris
Carol Ann Laverne Morris , Miss Iowa USA, was the second Miss USA to win the Miss Universe title in the pageant's fifth edition in 1956....
) (1954–1956), Mai Shanley
Mai Shanley
Mai Therese Shanley , Miss New Mexico USA, Miss USA 1984, is a former beauty queen. Her mother is ethnically Taiwanese and is from Taiwan, while her father is Irish American....
(1984) and Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award...
(2004). Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004 and Miss Missouri
Miss Missouri
The Miss Missouri competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Missouri in the Miss America pageant.-History:From 1935 to 1970, the Miss Missouri pageant was held in a number of locations, including St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield.In 1970, the pageant was held...
2002 won a preliminary evening gown award at Miss America 2003
Miss America 2003
Miss America 2003, the 82nd Miss America, pageant, was televised live from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 21, 2002 on the ABC Network...
. Also, Miriam Stevenson placed in the top 10 at Miss America 1954
Miss America 1954
Miss America 1954, the 27th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 12, 1953. Though four women from the state had previously held the title , Ay was the first Miss Pennsylvania to be crowned Miss America, as the others had represented...
as Miss South Carolina
Miss South Carolina
The Miss South Carolina competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of South Carolina in the Miss America pageant. The pageant was first held in Myrtle Beach and moved to Greenville starting in 1958 and remained in that city until the 90s. Spartanburg has hosted the...
1953.
Many Miss USA winners have gone to pursue careers in the entertainment
Entertainment
Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...
industry. Those who have been successful in the industry include Summer Bartholomew
Summer Bartholomew
Summer Robin Bartholomew is a model and actress who won the 1975 Miss USA pageant.Her first pageant experience came in 1973 when she won the Miss Oktoberfest title....
, Deborah Shelton
Deborah Shelton
Deborah 'Debbie' Shelton is an American beauty queen and actress who held the Miss USA title and appeared on Dallas for three seasons.-Pageants:In 1970 Shelton competed in the Miss Virginia USA pageant to spite her then boyfriend...
, Laura Martinez-Herring
Laura Harring
Laura Harring is a Mexican-American actress and former Miss USA . She is known for her role as Rita in Mulholland Drive.-Early life:...
, Shanna Moakler
Shanna Moakler
Shanna Lynn Moakler is an American model, actress, reality television star and a former beauty queen. She was the winner of the Miss New York USA pageant in 1995 and was originally the first runner-up at Miss USA 1995. She was later crowned Miss USA after Chelsi Smith won Miss Universe...
, Ali Landry
Ali Landry
Ali Germaine Landry is a former Miss USA , model and actress. She is perhaps best known as the Doritos Girl from her 1998 Super Bowl commercial, and for her portrayal of Rita Lefleur on the UPN sitcom Eve. In 1998, she was named by People magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world.-...
, Kenya Moore
Kenya Moore
Kenya Summer Moore is an American film and television actress, producer, beauty queen, model and author.She is recognizable for her roles in movies such as Waiting to Exhale, Deliver Us from Eva and the 2007 Lindsay Lohan thriller I Know Who Killed Me...
, Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood is an American model and pageant winner. She was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She was Miss USA 1997 and Miss Teen USA 1989 and was a frequent rotating Barker's Beauty model on the US daytime television game show The Price Is Right from 2002-2009.-Pageant history:In 1997, she won...
, Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants...
and Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award...
.
Recent titleholders
| Year | Miss USA | State Represented | Host City | Placement at Miss Universe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Miss USA 2011 Miss USA 2011, the 60th anniversary of the Miss USA pageant, was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, June 19, 2011. Miss USA 2010, Rima Fakih of Michigan crowned her successor, Alyssa Campanella of California, at the end... |
Alyssa Campanella Alyssa Campanella Alyssa Campanella is a beauty pageant titleholder from the United States, who is the current titleholder and winner of the 2011 Miss USA pageant.... |
California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas metropolitan area The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Top 16 Semi-finalist |
| 2010 Miss USA 2010 Miss USA 2010, the 59th edition of the Miss USA pageant, was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 16, 2010. Miss USA 2009, Kristen Dalton of North Carolina, crowned her successor, Rima Fakih of Michigan as Miss USA 2010 at the... |
Rima Fakih Rima Fakih Rima Fakih is an American beauty pageant contestant, and winner of the 2010 Miss USA title, and is also training to be a professional wrestler in WWE as a WWE Diva. She represented the state of Michigan in the Miss USA 2010 pageant, having previously won the 2010 Miss Michigan USA competition... |
Michigan Miss Michigan USA The Miss Michigan USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Michigan in the Miss USA pageant.Michigan is recognized by as being within the top 15 states in terms of Miss USA success. Their first Miss USA victory was in 1990, and notable because Carole Gist... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas metropolitan area The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Non-Finalist |
| 2009 Miss USA 2009 Miss USA 2009, the 58th Miss USA pageant was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19, 2009... |
Kristen Dalton Kristen Dalton (Miss USA) Kristen Jeannine Dalton , from Wilmington, North Carolina, is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2009.-Biography:Dalton is the daughter of Jeannine Dalton who was Miss North Carolina USA 1982... |
North Carolina Miss North Carolina USA The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group.... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Top 10 Finalist |
| 2008 Miss USA 2008 Miss USA 2008, the 57th Miss USA beauty pageant, was held in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 11, 2008. At the conclusion of the final night of competition, Crystle Stewart, Miss Texas USA, was crowned the winner by outgoing titleholder, Rachel Smith of Tennessee... |
Crystle Stewart Crystle Stewart Crystle Danae Stewart , from Missouri City, Texas, is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2008. She was born to Robert & Cynthia Franklin Stewart... |
Texas Miss Texas USA The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe.... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Top 10 Finalist |
| 2007 Miss USA 2007 Miss USA 2007, the 56th Miss USA pageant, was held in Hollywood, California, on March 23, 2007, after two weeks of events and preliminary competition. The winner of the pageant was Rachel Smith, of Tennessee.... |
Rachel Smith Rachel Smith Rachel Renee Smith is an American beauty queen and television personality from Clarksville, Tennessee, who won the Miss USA pageant in 2007 and who previously had competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant.-Early life:... |
Tennessee Miss Tennessee USA The Miss Tennessee USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss USA pageant.Since 2001 the pageant has been held in the auditorium at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.... |
Hollywood, California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
4th runner-up |
| 2006 Miss USA 2006 Miss USA 2006, the 55th Miss USA pageant, was held at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland on April 21, 2006. Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title, which was won by Tara Conner of Kentucky... |
Tara Conner Tara Conner Tara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,... |
Kentucky Miss Kentucky USA The Miss Kentucky USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss USA pageant. The current director for the Miss Kentucky USA and Miss Kentucky Teen USA titles is Connie Clark Harrison. Mrs... |
Baltimore, Maryland Maryland Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east... |
4th runner-up |
| 2005 Miss USA 2005 Miss USA 2005, the 54th Miss USA pageant, was held in Baltimore, Maryland in April 11, 2005. It was won by Chelsea Cooley of North Carolina.Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title of Miss USA in the Hippodrome Theatre on April 11, 2005... |
Chelsea Cooley Chelsea Cooley Chelsea Cooley is a beauty queen from Charlotte, North Carolina who has competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and who has held the Miss USA 2005 title.... |
North Carolina Miss North Carolina USA The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group.... |
Baltimore, Maryland Maryland Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east... |
Top 10 Finalist |
| 2004 Miss USA 2004 The Miss USA 2004 pageant was held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on April 12, 2004. The winner of the beauty pageant was Shandi Finnessey, who became the first winner from the state of Missouri... |
Shandi Finnessey Shandi Finnessey Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award... |
Missouri Miss Missouri USA The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system.... |
Hollywood, California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
1st runner-up |
| 2003 Miss USA 2003 The Miss USA 2003 pageant was held in San Antonio, Texas March 24, 2003, the first time it had been held in this state since 1996 when the pageant was held in South Padre Island... |
Susie Castillo Susie Castillo Susie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants... |
Massachusetts Miss Massachusetts USA The Miss Massachusetts USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss USA pageant.... |
San Antonio San Antonio, Texas San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,... , Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
Top 15 Semi-finalist |
| 2002 Miss USA 2002 The Miss USA 2002 pageant was held in Gary, Indiana on March 2, 2002. The event was won by Shauntay Hinton of the District of Columbia, who was crowned by outgoing queen Kandace Krueger of Texas.... |
Shauntay Hinton Shauntay Hinton Shauntay Hinton is an actress and former beauty queen from Starkville, Mississippi who won the Miss USA title in 2002.-Education:Hinton graduated from Starkville High School in 1997. She later studied broadcast communications at Howard University.... |
District of Columbia Miss District of Columbia USA The Miss District of Columbia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the District of Columbia in the Miss USA pageant.... |
Gary Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known... , Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... |
Non Finalist |
| 2001 Miss USA 2001 Miss USA 2001, the 50th edition of the Miss USA pageant was held at the Genesis Convention Center, Gary, Indiana on March 2, 2001. The event was won by Kandace Krueger of Texas, who was crowned by outgoing queen Lynnette Cole of Tennessee.... |
Kandace Krueger Kandace Krueger Kandace Gayle Krueger Matthews is an American television personality and former beauty queen who has held the Miss USA title. She was born and raised in Austin, Texas. She was born to Larry & Barbara Johnson Krueger... |
Texas Miss Texas USA The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe.... |
Gary Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known... , Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... |
2nd runner-up |
Winners gallery
The Miss USA beauty contestBeauty contest
A beauty pageant or beauty contest, is a competition that mainly focuses on the physical beauty of its contestants, although such contests often incorporate personality, talent, and answers to judges' questions as judged criteria...
has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entrant in the Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
pageant. The Miss Universe Organization
Miss Universe Organization
The Miss Universe Organization is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA beauty contests. Based in New York, it is owned jointly by NBC Universal and Donald Trump. The current president is Paula Shugart...
operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
. Miss USA 2011 is Alyssa Campanella
Alyssa Campanella
Alyssa Campanella is a beauty pageant titleholder from the United States, who is the current titleholder and winner of the 2011 Miss USA pageant....
, the current titleholder, who competed as Miss California USA
Miss California USA
Miss California USA is a pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant.The current titleholder is Katie Blair. She succeeded Alyssa Campanella on June 25, 2011 after Campanella was crowned Miss USA 2011....
History
The Miss USA pageant was conceived in 1950 when Yolande BetbezeYolande Betbeze
Yolande Betbeze Fox was Miss America in 1951.Fox entered Miss Alabama for the scholarship opportunities the pageant presented...
, winner of the rival Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
pageant, refused to pose for publicity pictures while wearing a swimsuit. Pageant sponsor Catalina
Catalina swimwear
Catalina is one of the oldest apparel manufacturers in California and one of the best known names in the swimwear industry. Their history began in 1907, as Bentz Knitting Mills, a small manufacturer of underwear and sweaters. The name was changed to Pacific Knitting Mills in 1912, accompanied by...
decided to pull their sponsorship off the pageant, and create their own competition. Other owners have included a subsidiary of Gulf+Western
Gulf+Western
Gulf and Western Industries, Inc., for a number of years known as Gulf+Western, was an American conglomerate.- History :Gulf and Western's prosaic origins date to a manufacturer named Michigan Bumper Co. founded in 1934, though Charles Bluhdorn treated his 1958 takeover of what was then Michigan...
Industries, ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation is a global diversified manufacturing company based in the United States. ITT participates in global markets including water and fluids management, defense and security, and motion and flow control...
, and billionaire Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
, the current owner who bought the pageant in 1996.
The first Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants were held concurrently in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
in 1952; the first Miss USA winner was Miss New York USA
Miss New York USA
The Miss New York USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss USA pageant. Amber Collins is the reigning Miss New York USA 2011...
Jackie Loughery
Jackie Loughery
Jacqueline "Jackie" Loughery is best known as the first Miss New York USA and winner of the first Miss USA beauty pageant, in Long Beach, California. In 1952, she won the title only after a second ballot broke a first-place tie...
. There were thirty delegates in the first year of competition, and many states did not compete every year during the first two decades of the pageant's history. From the 1970s, each state and the District of Columbia have sent a delegate each year. Alaska
Miss Alaska USA
The Miss Alaska USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Alaska in the Miss USA pageant.Alaska's highest placement was in 1964, with Patricia Marlin as the second runner up. Alaska's most recent placement was in 1990 when Karin Meyer placed in the top 6...
first competed in 1959 and Hawaii
Miss Hawaii USA
The Miss Hawaii USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Hawaii in the Miss USA pageant.Hawaii is the most recent state to start competing at Miss USA, as it first competed in 1962. Prior to this delegates were sent to Miss Universe...
in 1960. Both had competed at Miss Universe until this time.
The pageant aired on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
from 1963
1963 in television
The year 1963 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1963.-Events:*January 13 – BBC Television broadcasts the play The Madhouse on Castle Street in the Sunday-Night Theatre strand...
until 2002
2002 in television
The year 2002 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2002.For the American TV schedule, see: 2002–03 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:...
, and for many years was known for having a CBS game show host as pageant host. John Charles Daly
John Charles Daly
John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly (generally known as John Charles Daly or simply John Daly (February 20, 1914 – February 24, 1991) was an American journalist, game show host and radio personality, probably best known for hosting...
hosted the show from 1963–1966, Bob Barker
Bob Barker
Robert William "Bob" Barker is a former American television game show host. He is best known for hosting CBS's The Price Is Right from 1972 to 2007, making it the longest-running daytime game show in North American television history, and for hosting Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1975.Born...
from 1967 until 1987 (at which point he quit in a dispute over fur coats), Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
in 1988, Dick Clark from 1989–1993, and Bob Goen
Bob Goen
Robert Kuehl "Bob" Goen is an American game show emcee and television personality, best known for his work on Entertainment Tonight between 1993 and 2004...
from 1994–1996. The show's highest ratings were in the early 1980s, when it regularly topped the Neilsen ratings. Viewership dropped sharply from the 1990s to the 2000s, from an estimated viewership of 20 million to an average of 7 million from 2000–2001. In 2002, owner Donald Trump brokered a new deal with NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, giving them half-ownership of the Miss USA, Miss Universe and Miss Teen USA and moving them to NBC on an initial five year contract. The pageants were first shown on NBC in 2003.
Historically, the winner of the Miss USA title has represented the United States in its sister Miss Universe pageant. Since its inception, seven Miss USA titleholders have gone on to win Miss Universe. In the mid-1960s, it was established when a Miss USA wins the Miss Universe title, the first runner-up assumes the Miss USA title for the remainder of the year. This has happened in 1980, 1995 and 1997. In 1967, the first runner-up declined the title and the crown went to the second runner-up Cheryl Patton
Cheryl Patton
Cheryl Patton is a pageant titleholder from North Miami Beach, Florida who has held the Miss USA title.In 1966 Patton was a runner-up in the Miss Florida World pageant. The following year she won the Miss Florida USA 1967 title and represented Florida in the Miss USA 1967 pageant held in Miami...
. The only instance where a first runner-up assumed the title of Miss USA prior to this period was in 1957 when Mary Leona Gage
Mary Leona Gage
Mary Leona Gage was a beauty queen from Maryland who was crowned Miss USA 1957, the first, and so far, only woman from that state to capture the Miss USA crown...
resigned when it was discovered she was married.
Competition
The modern pageant consists of a preliminary competition, held in the week before the pageant where all contestants are judged in swimsuit, gown, and interview. From this, semifinalists are chosen, and they are announced during the live broadcast of the final competition. These semifinalists then compete in swimsuit and evening gown, and the finalists are chosen. This is when the interview competition is held. The runners-up and winner are announced at the end of the telecast. Since 1997, the judges for the finals have been different from those who judged the Preliminary competition.From 1975–2000, all delegates who made the initial cut competed in an interview competition in some format, often involving all semi-finalists. As of 2001, this interview portion was taken away, leaving only the final question for the top five delegates to answer.
From 1979–2002, the average scores of each delegate were shown on the television broadcast and thus the semi-finalists could be ranked. This was changed in 2003 to a "circle" system where judges choose a certain number of delegates to "circle", and those with the most "circles" made the cut. This was the same system that was used prior to the computer scoring system implemented in 1979. In 2007, this system came back and contestants' composite scores are shown live.
State competitions
Every year, each state holds a preliminary competition to choose their delegate for the Miss USA pageant. In some states (such as TexasMiss Texas USA
The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe....
and Florida
Miss Florida USA
The Miss Florida USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Florida in the Miss USA pageant.While Florida has been successful in terms of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, the state has never won the Miss USA pageant, although Cheryl Patton became Miss USA...
), local pageants are also held to determine delegates for the state competition. The state winners hold the title "Miss State USA" for the year of their reign.
The most successful state is Texas, which has had the most semi-finalists and winners, including five consecutive Miss USA titleholders during the 1980s. Other successful states include California
Miss California USA
Miss California USA is a pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant.The current titleholder is Katie Blair. She succeeded Alyssa Campanella on June 25, 2011 after Campanella was crowned Miss USA 2011....
, New York
Miss New York USA
The Miss New York USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss USA pageant. Amber Collins is the reigning Miss New York USA 2011...
, Alabama
Miss Alabama USA
The Miss Alabama USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Alabama in the Miss USA pageant.Alabama is one of the more successful and consistent states at Miss USA. Although they have had a number of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, they have only...
, Tennessee
Miss Tennessee USA
The Miss Tennessee USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss USA pageant.Since 2001 the pageant has been held in the auditorium at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee....
and Georgia
Miss Georgia USA
The Miss Georgia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Georgia in the Miss USA pageant.Historically, Georgia has been the eleventh most successful state at Miss USA and has performed in more recent years, placing eighth on the table of most successful states...
. The least successful states are Delaware
Miss Delaware USA
The Miss Delaware USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Delaware in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant is directed by D&D Investments....
, the only state that has never placed; Montana
Miss Montana USA
The Miss Montana USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Montana in the Miss USA pageant.Montana is one of the least successful states in Miss USA history, but there has been success in other pageants. Miss Montana USA 2005 Amanda Kimmel was chosen to...
, which has not placed since the 1950s; South Dakota
Miss South Dakota USA
The Miss South Dakota USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of South Dakota in the Miss USA pageant. This state pageant is currently directed by Future Productions....
, which has only placed twice (the last time in 1974), and Wyoming
Miss Wyoming USA
, Miss Wyoming USA 2012]]The Miss Wyoming USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Wyoming in the Miss USA pageant. The Miss Wyoming USA pageant is currently produced by Future Productions....
, which gained only its second placement in 2010. The only state which has produced more than one Miss Universe is South Carolina
Miss South Carolina USA
The Miss South Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state South Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant has been produced by RPM Productions since 1980....
.
The Miss Universe Organization
Miss Universe Organization
The Miss Universe Organization is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA beauty contests. Based in New York, it is owned jointly by NBC Universal and Donald Trump. The current president is Paula Shugart...
licenses out the state pageants to pageant directors, who in some cases are responsible for more than one state. The most well established directorial groups are RPM Productions, created in 1980 (Louisiana
Miss Louisiana USA
The Miss Louisiana USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Louisiana in the Miss USA pageant.Louisiana is one of the most successful states at Miss USA and is one of only seven states to have had three or more Miss USAs.Three Miss Louisiana USA titleholders...
, North Carolina
Miss North Carolina USA
The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group....
, South Carolina), and Vanbros, created in the early 1990s (Arkansas
Miss Arkansas USA
The Miss Arkansas USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Arkansas in the Miss USA pageant.The state pageant was directed by Premier Pageants from 2002 to 2007 before becoming part of the Vanbros organization in 2007...
, Kansas
Miss Kansas USA
The Miss Kansas USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state of Kansas in the Miss USA pageant.Kansas did not place at Miss USA until 1973, the third-to-last state to make their first placement. From then, no delegate from Kansas made the cut until 1991, when Kelli...
, Missouri
Miss Missouri USA
The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
, Nebraska
Miss Nebraska USA
The Miss Nebraska USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Nebraska in the Miss USA pageant.In 2002, Nebraska joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
and Oklahoma
Miss Oklahoma USA
For the article about the Miss America state pageant, see Miss OklahomaThe Miss Oklahoma USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Oklahoma in the Miss USA pageant....
). Future Productions direct the most states, six, across the Midwest and Rockies.
Winners
The first Asian American woman to win Miss USA was Macel Wilson in 1962; the first Hispanic was Laura Martinez-Herring in 1985; the first African-American, Carole GistCarole Gist
Carole Anne-Marie Gist was the first African American woman to win the Miss USA title. Gist first won the title of Miss Michigan USA and went on to win the Miss USA crown on March 2, 1990 in Wichita, Kansas...
in 1990; and the first Miss USA of Middle-Eastern descent was Rima Fakih
Rima Fakih
Rima Fakih is an American beauty pageant contestant, and winner of the 2010 Miss USA title, and is also training to be a professional wrestler in WWE as a WWE Diva. She represented the state of Michigan in the Miss USA 2010 pageant, having previously won the 2010 Miss Michigan USA competition...
in 2010.
Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood is an American model and pageant winner. She was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She was Miss USA 1997 and Miss Teen USA 1989 and was a frequent rotating Barker's Beauty model on the US daytime television game show The Price Is Right from 2002-2009.-Pageant history:In 1997, she won...
is the only woman to have held both the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA titles. She was Miss Idaho Teen USA
Miss Idaho Teen USA
The Miss Idaho Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Idaho in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Idaho has only placed twice and as such is one of the least successful states at Miss Teen USA...
, Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
1989, Miss Idaho USA
Miss Idaho USA
The Miss Idaho USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state of Idaho in the Miss USA pageant.Idaho is one of the least successful states in the history of the competition, with only four placements in fifty-seven years...
1997, first runner-up at Miss USA 1997
Miss USA 1997
Miss USA 1997, the forty-sixth Miss USA pageant, was held at Shreveport, Louisiana in January and February, 1997. Delegates arrived in the city on January 19, the preliminary competition was held on February 2, 1997 and the final competition on February 5, 1997...
and in May 1997 assumed the Miss USA title after Brook Lee won the Miss Universe pageant. Nine other Miss USA titleholders have also previously competed at Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
. These include:
- Shanna MoaklerShanna MoaklerShanna Lynn Moakler is an American model, actress, reality television star and a former beauty queen. She was the winner of the Miss New York USA pageant in 1995 and was originally the first runner-up at Miss USA 1995. She was later crowned Miss USA after Chelsi Smith won Miss Universe...
(1995), (Miss Rhode Island Teen USAMiss Rhode Island Teen USAThe Miss Rhode Island Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Rhode Island in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1992), Ali LandryAli LandryAli Germaine Landry is a former Miss USA , model and actress. She is perhaps best known as the Doritos Girl from her 1998 Super Bowl commercial, and for her portrayal of Rita Lefleur on the UPN sitcom Eve. In 1998, she was named by People magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world.-...
(1996), (Miss Louisiana Teen USAMiss Louisiana Teen USAThe Miss Louisiana Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Louisiana in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1990), Kimberly PresslerKimberly PresslerKimberly Pressler is an entertainment presenter and former Miss USA. She is one of few women to win both the Miss New York Teen USA and Miss New York USA titles.-Pageant career:...
(1999) (Miss New York Teen USAMiss New York Teen USAThe Miss New York Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Like the first Miss USA competition , the first Miss Teen USA competition was won by a Miss New York Teen USA. That winner was Ruth Zakarian, who went on to...
1994), Lynnette ColeLynnette ColeLynnette Cole-O'Nan , won the title Miss Tennessee USA in 2000. She went on to become the first woman from that state to win the Miss USA pageant, which was held in Branson, Missouri on February 4, 2000....
(2000) (Miss Tennessee Teen USAMiss Tennessee Teen USAThe Miss Tennessee Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Tennessee in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1995), Susie CastilloSusie CastilloSusie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants...
(2003) (Miss Massachusetts Teen USAMiss Massachusetts Teen USAThe Miss Massachusetts Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1998), Chelsea CooleyChelsea CooleyChelsea Cooley is a beauty queen from Charlotte, North Carolina who has competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and who has held the Miss USA 2005 title....
(2005) (Miss North Carolina Teen USAMiss North Carolina Teen USAThe Miss North Carolina Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of North Carolina in the Miss Teen USA pageant and is part of the RPM Productions group....
2000), Tara ConnerTara ConnerTara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,...
(2006) (Miss Kentucky Teen USAMiss Kentucky Teen USAThe Miss Kentucky Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Kentucky is ranked eight in terms of place and value of placements across all twenty-three years of competition at Miss Teen USA. When this is broken down to...
2002), Rachel SmithRachel SmithRachel Renee Smith is an American beauty queen and television personality from Clarksville, Tennessee, who won the Miss USA pageant in 2007 and who previously had competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant.-Early life:...
(2007) (Miss Tennessee Teen USAMiss Tennessee Teen USAThe Miss Tennessee Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Tennessee in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
2002) and Alyssa CampanellaAlyssa CampanellaAlyssa Campanella is a beauty pageant titleholder from the United States, who is the current titleholder and winner of the 2011 Miss USA pageant....
(2011) (Miss New Jersey Teen USAMiss New Jersey Teen USAThe Miss New Jersey Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New Jersey in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
2007).
Five Miss USA titleholders have also competed at Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
. These included: (Miriam Stevenson
Miriam Stevenson
Miriam Jacqueline Stevenson born 4 July 1933, of Winnsboro, South Carolina, won the Miss USA pageant as Miss South Carolina USA in 1954. She was the first Miss USA to hold the Miss Universe beauty crown....
, Carlene King Johnson
Carlene King Johnson
Carlene King Johnson Drake was Miss USA 1955.After winning the Miss Vermont USA crown, Johnson, from Rutland, Vermont went on to become Vermont's only representative to achieve the title of Miss USA. Previously, she was Miss Vermont 1953.Johnson was born to Dr. Norman & Katherine King Johnson....
and Carol Morris
Carol Morris
Carol Ann Laverne Morris , Miss Iowa USA, was the second Miss USA to win the Miss Universe title in the pageant's fifth edition in 1956....
) (1954–1956), Mai Shanley
Mai Shanley
Mai Therese Shanley , Miss New Mexico USA, Miss USA 1984, is a former beauty queen. Her mother is ethnically Taiwanese and is from Taiwan, while her father is Irish American....
(1984) and Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award...
(2004). Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004 and Miss Missouri
Miss Missouri
The Miss Missouri competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Missouri in the Miss America pageant.-History:From 1935 to 1970, the Miss Missouri pageant was held in a number of locations, including St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield.In 1970, the pageant was held...
2002 won a preliminary evening gown award at Miss America 2003
Miss America 2003
Miss America 2003, the 82nd Miss America, pageant, was televised live from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 21, 2002 on the ABC Network...
. Also, Miriam Stevenson placed in the top 10 at Miss America 1954
Miss America 1954
Miss America 1954, the 27th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 12, 1953. Though four women from the state had previously held the title , Ay was the first Miss Pennsylvania to be crowned Miss America, as the others had represented...
as Miss South Carolina
Miss South Carolina
The Miss South Carolina competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of South Carolina in the Miss America pageant. The pageant was first held in Myrtle Beach and moved to Greenville starting in 1958 and remained in that city until the 90s. Spartanburg has hosted the...
1953.
Many Miss USA winners have gone to pursue careers in the entertainment
Entertainment
Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...
industry. Those who have been successful in the industry include Summer Bartholomew
Summer Bartholomew
Summer Robin Bartholomew is a model and actress who won the 1975 Miss USA pageant.Her first pageant experience came in 1973 when she won the Miss Oktoberfest title....
, Deborah Shelton
Deborah Shelton
Deborah 'Debbie' Shelton is an American beauty queen and actress who held the Miss USA title and appeared on Dallas for three seasons.-Pageants:In 1970 Shelton competed in the Miss Virginia USA pageant to spite her then boyfriend...
, Laura Martinez-Herring
Laura Harring
Laura Harring is a Mexican-American actress and former Miss USA . She is known for her role as Rita in Mulholland Drive.-Early life:...
, Shanna Moakler
Shanna Moakler
Shanna Lynn Moakler is an American model, actress, reality television star and a former beauty queen. She was the winner of the Miss New York USA pageant in 1995 and was originally the first runner-up at Miss USA 1995. She was later crowned Miss USA after Chelsi Smith won Miss Universe...
, Ali Landry
Ali Landry
Ali Germaine Landry is a former Miss USA , model and actress. She is perhaps best known as the Doritos Girl from her 1998 Super Bowl commercial, and for her portrayal of Rita Lefleur on the UPN sitcom Eve. In 1998, she was named by People magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world.-...
, Kenya Moore
Kenya Moore
Kenya Summer Moore is an American film and television actress, producer, beauty queen, model and author.She is recognizable for her roles in movies such as Waiting to Exhale, Deliver Us from Eva and the 2007 Lindsay Lohan thriller I Know Who Killed Me...
, Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood is an American model and pageant winner. She was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She was Miss USA 1997 and Miss Teen USA 1989 and was a frequent rotating Barker's Beauty model on the US daytime television game show The Price Is Right from 2002-2009.-Pageant history:In 1997, she won...
, Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants...
and Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award...
.
Recent titleholders
| Year | Miss USA | State Represented | Host City | Placement at Miss Universe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Miss USA 2011 Miss USA 2011, the 60th anniversary of the Miss USA pageant, was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, June 19, 2011. Miss USA 2010, Rima Fakih of Michigan crowned her successor, Alyssa Campanella of California, at the end... |
Alyssa Campanella Alyssa Campanella Alyssa Campanella is a beauty pageant titleholder from the United States, who is the current titleholder and winner of the 2011 Miss USA pageant.... |
California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas metropolitan area The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Top 16 Semi-finalist |
| 2010 Miss USA 2010 Miss USA 2010, the 59th edition of the Miss USA pageant, was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 16, 2010. Miss USA 2009, Kristen Dalton of North Carolina, crowned her successor, Rima Fakih of Michigan as Miss USA 2010 at the... |
Rima Fakih Rima Fakih Rima Fakih is an American beauty pageant contestant, and winner of the 2010 Miss USA title, and is also training to be a professional wrestler in WWE as a WWE Diva. She represented the state of Michigan in the Miss USA 2010 pageant, having previously won the 2010 Miss Michigan USA competition... |
Michigan Miss Michigan USA The Miss Michigan USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Michigan in the Miss USA pageant.Michigan is recognized by as being within the top 15 states in terms of Miss USA success. Their first Miss USA victory was in 1990, and notable because Carole Gist... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas metropolitan area The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Non-Finalist |
| 2009 Miss USA 2009 Miss USA 2009, the 58th Miss USA pageant was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19, 2009... |
Kristen Dalton Kristen Dalton (Miss USA) Kristen Jeannine Dalton , from Wilmington, North Carolina, is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2009.-Biography:Dalton is the daughter of Jeannine Dalton who was Miss North Carolina USA 1982... |
North Carolina Miss North Carolina USA The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group.... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Top 10 Finalist |
| 2008 Miss USA 2008 Miss USA 2008, the 57th Miss USA beauty pageant, was held in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 11, 2008. At the conclusion of the final night of competition, Crystle Stewart, Miss Texas USA, was crowned the winner by outgoing titleholder, Rachel Smith of Tennessee... |
Crystle Stewart Crystle Stewart Crystle Danae Stewart , from Missouri City, Texas, is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2008. She was born to Robert & Cynthia Franklin Stewart... |
Texas Miss Texas USA The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe.... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Top 10 Finalist |
| 2007 Miss USA 2007 Miss USA 2007, the 56th Miss USA pageant, was held in Hollywood, California, on March 23, 2007, after two weeks of events and preliminary competition. The winner of the pageant was Rachel Smith, of Tennessee.... |
Rachel Smith Rachel Smith Rachel Renee Smith is an American beauty queen and television personality from Clarksville, Tennessee, who won the Miss USA pageant in 2007 and who previously had competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant.-Early life:... |
Tennessee Miss Tennessee USA The Miss Tennessee USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss USA pageant.Since 2001 the pageant has been held in the auditorium at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.... |
Hollywood, California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
4th runner-up |
| 2006 Miss USA 2006 Miss USA 2006, the 55th Miss USA pageant, was held at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland on April 21, 2006. Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title, which was won by Tara Conner of Kentucky... |
Tara Conner Tara Conner Tara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,... |
Kentucky Miss Kentucky USA The Miss Kentucky USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss USA pageant. The current director for the Miss Kentucky USA and Miss Kentucky Teen USA titles is Connie Clark Harrison. Mrs... |
Baltimore, Maryland Maryland Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east... |
4th runner-up |
| 2005 Miss USA 2005 Miss USA 2005, the 54th Miss USA pageant, was held in Baltimore, Maryland in April 11, 2005. It was won by Chelsea Cooley of North Carolina.Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title of Miss USA in the Hippodrome Theatre on April 11, 2005... |
Chelsea Cooley Chelsea Cooley Chelsea Cooley is a beauty queen from Charlotte, North Carolina who has competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and who has held the Miss USA 2005 title.... |
North Carolina Miss North Carolina USA The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group.... |
Baltimore, Maryland Maryland Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east... |
Top 10 Finalist |
| 2004 Miss USA 2004 The Miss USA 2004 pageant was held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on April 12, 2004. The winner of the beauty pageant was Shandi Finnessey, who became the first winner from the state of Missouri... |
Shandi Finnessey Shandi Finnessey Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award... |
Missouri Miss Missouri USA The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system.... |
Hollywood, California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
1st runner-up |
| 2003 Miss USA 2003 The Miss USA 2003 pageant was held in San Antonio, Texas March 24, 2003, the first time it had been held in this state since 1996 when the pageant was held in South Padre Island... |
Susie Castillo Susie Castillo Susie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants... |
Massachusetts Miss Massachusetts USA The Miss Massachusetts USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss USA pageant.... |
San Antonio San Antonio, Texas San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,... , Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
Top 15 Semi-finalist |
| 2002 Miss USA 2002 The Miss USA 2002 pageant was held in Gary, Indiana on March 2, 2002. The event was won by Shauntay Hinton of the District of Columbia, who was crowned by outgoing queen Kandace Krueger of Texas.... |
Shauntay Hinton Shauntay Hinton Shauntay Hinton is an actress and former beauty queen from Starkville, Mississippi who won the Miss USA title in 2002.-Education:Hinton graduated from Starkville High School in 1997. She later studied broadcast communications at Howard University.... |
District of Columbia Miss District of Columbia USA The Miss District of Columbia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the District of Columbia in the Miss USA pageant.... |
Gary Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known... , Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... |
Non Finalist |
| 2001 Miss USA 2001 Miss USA 2001, the 50th edition of the Miss USA pageant was held at the Genesis Convention Center, Gary, Indiana on March 2, 2001. The event was won by Kandace Krueger of Texas, who was crowned by outgoing queen Lynnette Cole of Tennessee.... |
Kandace Krueger Kandace Krueger Kandace Gayle Krueger Matthews is an American television personality and former beauty queen who has held the Miss USA title. She was born and raised in Austin, Texas. She was born to Larry & Barbara Johnson Krueger... |
Texas Miss Texas USA The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe.... |
Gary Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known... , Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... |
2nd runner-up |
Winners gallery
The Miss USA beauty contest
Beauty contest
A beauty pageant or beauty contest, is a competition that mainly focuses on the physical beauty of its contestants, although such contests often incorporate personality, talent, and answers to judges' questions as judged criteria...
has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entrant in the Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
pageant. The Miss Universe Organization
Miss Universe Organization
The Miss Universe Organization is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA beauty contests. Based in New York, it is owned jointly by NBC Universal and Donald Trump. The current president is Paula Shugart...
operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
. Miss USA 2011 is Alyssa Campanella
Alyssa Campanella
Alyssa Campanella is a beauty pageant titleholder from the United States, who is the current titleholder and winner of the 2011 Miss USA pageant....
, the current titleholder, who competed as Miss California USA
Miss California USA
Miss California USA is a pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant.The current titleholder is Katie Blair. She succeeded Alyssa Campanella on June 25, 2011 after Campanella was crowned Miss USA 2011....
History
The Miss USA pageant was conceived in 1950 when Yolande BetbezeYolande Betbeze
Yolande Betbeze Fox was Miss America in 1951.Fox entered Miss Alabama for the scholarship opportunities the pageant presented...
, winner of the rival Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
pageant, refused to pose for publicity pictures while wearing a swimsuit. Pageant sponsor Catalina
Catalina swimwear
Catalina is one of the oldest apparel manufacturers in California and one of the best known names in the swimwear industry. Their history began in 1907, as Bentz Knitting Mills, a small manufacturer of underwear and sweaters. The name was changed to Pacific Knitting Mills in 1912, accompanied by...
decided to pull their sponsorship off the pageant, and create their own competition. Other owners have included a subsidiary of Gulf+Western
Gulf+Western
Gulf and Western Industries, Inc., for a number of years known as Gulf+Western, was an American conglomerate.- History :Gulf and Western's prosaic origins date to a manufacturer named Michigan Bumper Co. founded in 1934, though Charles Bluhdorn treated his 1958 takeover of what was then Michigan...
Industries, ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation is a global diversified manufacturing company based in the United States. ITT participates in global markets including water and fluids management, defense and security, and motion and flow control...
, and billionaire Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
, the current owner who bought the pageant in 1996.
The first Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants were held concurrently in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
in 1952; the first Miss USA winner was Miss New York USA
Miss New York USA
The Miss New York USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss USA pageant. Amber Collins is the reigning Miss New York USA 2011...
Jackie Loughery
Jackie Loughery
Jacqueline "Jackie" Loughery is best known as the first Miss New York USA and winner of the first Miss USA beauty pageant, in Long Beach, California. In 1952, she won the title only after a second ballot broke a first-place tie...
. There were thirty delegates in the first year of competition, and many states did not compete every year during the first two decades of the pageant's history. From the 1970s, each state and the District of Columbia have sent a delegate each year. Alaska
Miss Alaska USA
The Miss Alaska USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Alaska in the Miss USA pageant.Alaska's highest placement was in 1964, with Patricia Marlin as the second runner up. Alaska's most recent placement was in 1990 when Karin Meyer placed in the top 6...
first competed in 1959 and Hawaii
Miss Hawaii USA
The Miss Hawaii USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Hawaii in the Miss USA pageant.Hawaii is the most recent state to start competing at Miss USA, as it first competed in 1962. Prior to this delegates were sent to Miss Universe...
in 1960. Both had competed at Miss Universe until this time.
The pageant aired on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
from 1963
1963 in television
The year 1963 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1963.-Events:*January 13 – BBC Television broadcasts the play The Madhouse on Castle Street in the Sunday-Night Theatre strand...
until 2002
2002 in television
The year 2002 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2002.For the American TV schedule, see: 2002–03 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:...
, and for many years was known for having a CBS game show host as pageant host. John Charles Daly
John Charles Daly
John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly (generally known as John Charles Daly or simply John Daly (February 20, 1914 – February 24, 1991) was an American journalist, game show host and radio personality, probably best known for hosting...
hosted the show from 1963–1966, Bob Barker
Bob Barker
Robert William "Bob" Barker is a former American television game show host. He is best known for hosting CBS's The Price Is Right from 1972 to 2007, making it the longest-running daytime game show in North American television history, and for hosting Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1975.Born...
from 1967 until 1987 (at which point he quit in a dispute over fur coats), Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
in 1988, Dick Clark from 1989–1993, and Bob Goen
Bob Goen
Robert Kuehl "Bob" Goen is an American game show emcee and television personality, best known for his work on Entertainment Tonight between 1993 and 2004...
from 1994–1996. The show's highest ratings were in the early 1980s, when it regularly topped the Neilsen ratings. Viewership dropped sharply from the 1990s to the 2000s, from an estimated viewership of 20 million to an average of 7 million from 2000–2001. In 2002, owner Donald Trump brokered a new deal with NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, giving them half-ownership of the Miss USA, Miss Universe and Miss Teen USA and moving them to NBC on an initial five year contract. The pageants were first shown on NBC in 2003.
Historically, the winner of the Miss USA title has represented the United States in its sister Miss Universe pageant. Since its inception, seven Miss USA titleholders have gone on to win Miss Universe. In the mid-1960s, it was established when a Miss USA wins the Miss Universe title, the first runner-up assumes the Miss USA title for the remainder of the year. This has happened in 1980, 1995 and 1997. In 1967, the first runner-up declined the title and the crown went to the second runner-up Cheryl Patton
Cheryl Patton
Cheryl Patton is a pageant titleholder from North Miami Beach, Florida who has held the Miss USA title.In 1966 Patton was a runner-up in the Miss Florida World pageant. The following year she won the Miss Florida USA 1967 title and represented Florida in the Miss USA 1967 pageant held in Miami...
. The only instance where a first runner-up assumed the title of Miss USA prior to this period was in 1957 when Mary Leona Gage
Mary Leona Gage
Mary Leona Gage was a beauty queen from Maryland who was crowned Miss USA 1957, the first, and so far, only woman from that state to capture the Miss USA crown...
resigned when it was discovered she was married.
Competition
The modern pageant consists of a preliminary competition, held in the week before the pageant where all contestants are judged in swimsuit, gown, and interview. From this, semifinalists are chosen, and they are announced during the live broadcast of the final competition. These semifinalists then compete in swimsuit and evening gown, and the finalists are chosen. This is when the interview competition is held. The runners-up and winner are announced at the end of the telecast. Since 1997, the judges for the finals have been different from those who judged the Preliminary competition.From 1975–2000, all delegates who made the initial cut competed in an interview competition in some format, often involving all semi-finalists. As of 2001, this interview portion was taken away, leaving only the final question for the top five delegates to answer.
From 1979–2002, the average scores of each delegate were shown on the television broadcast and thus the semi-finalists could be ranked. This was changed in 2003 to a "circle" system where judges choose a certain number of delegates to "circle", and those with the most "circles" made the cut. This was the same system that was used prior to the computer scoring system implemented in 1979. In 2007, this system came back and contestants' composite scores are shown live.
State competitions
Every year, each state holds a preliminary competition to choose their delegate for the Miss USA pageant. In some states (such as TexasMiss Texas USA
The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe....
and Florida
Miss Florida USA
The Miss Florida USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Florida in the Miss USA pageant.While Florida has been successful in terms of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, the state has never won the Miss USA pageant, although Cheryl Patton became Miss USA...
), local pageants are also held to determine delegates for the state competition. The state winners hold the title "Miss State USA" for the year of their reign.
The most successful state is Texas, which has had the most semi-finalists and winners, including five consecutive Miss USA titleholders during the 1980s. Other successful states include California
Miss California USA
Miss California USA is a pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant.The current titleholder is Katie Blair. She succeeded Alyssa Campanella on June 25, 2011 after Campanella was crowned Miss USA 2011....
, New York
Miss New York USA
The Miss New York USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss USA pageant. Amber Collins is the reigning Miss New York USA 2011...
, Alabama
Miss Alabama USA
The Miss Alabama USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Alabama in the Miss USA pageant.Alabama is one of the more successful and consistent states at Miss USA. Although they have had a number of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, they have only...
, Tennessee
Miss Tennessee USA
The Miss Tennessee USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss USA pageant.Since 2001 the pageant has been held in the auditorium at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee....
and Georgia
Miss Georgia USA
The Miss Georgia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Georgia in the Miss USA pageant.Historically, Georgia has been the eleventh most successful state at Miss USA and has performed in more recent years, placing eighth on the table of most successful states...
. The least successful states are Delaware
Miss Delaware USA
The Miss Delaware USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Delaware in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant is directed by D&D Investments....
, the only state that has never placed; Montana
Miss Montana USA
The Miss Montana USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Montana in the Miss USA pageant.Montana is one of the least successful states in Miss USA history, but there has been success in other pageants. Miss Montana USA 2005 Amanda Kimmel was chosen to...
, which has not placed since the 1950s; South Dakota
Miss South Dakota USA
The Miss South Dakota USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of South Dakota in the Miss USA pageant. This state pageant is currently directed by Future Productions....
, which has only placed twice (the last time in 1974), and Wyoming
Miss Wyoming USA
, Miss Wyoming USA 2012]]The Miss Wyoming USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Wyoming in the Miss USA pageant. The Miss Wyoming USA pageant is currently produced by Future Productions....
, which gained only its second placement in 2010. The only state which has produced more than one Miss Universe is South Carolina
Miss South Carolina USA
The Miss South Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state South Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant has been produced by RPM Productions since 1980....
.
The Miss Universe Organization
Miss Universe Organization
The Miss Universe Organization is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA beauty contests. Based in New York, it is owned jointly by NBC Universal and Donald Trump. The current president is Paula Shugart...
licenses out the state pageants to pageant directors, who in some cases are responsible for more than one state. The most well established directorial groups are RPM Productions, created in 1980 (Louisiana
Miss Louisiana USA
The Miss Louisiana USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Louisiana in the Miss USA pageant.Louisiana is one of the most successful states at Miss USA and is one of only seven states to have had three or more Miss USAs.Three Miss Louisiana USA titleholders...
, North Carolina
Miss North Carolina USA
The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group....
, South Carolina), and Vanbros, created in the early 1990s (Arkansas
Miss Arkansas USA
The Miss Arkansas USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Arkansas in the Miss USA pageant.The state pageant was directed by Premier Pageants from 2002 to 2007 before becoming part of the Vanbros organization in 2007...
, Kansas
Miss Kansas USA
The Miss Kansas USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state of Kansas in the Miss USA pageant.Kansas did not place at Miss USA until 1973, the third-to-last state to make their first placement. From then, no delegate from Kansas made the cut until 1991, when Kelli...
, Missouri
Miss Missouri USA
The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
, Nebraska
Miss Nebraska USA
The Miss Nebraska USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Nebraska in the Miss USA pageant.In 2002, Nebraska joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
and Oklahoma
Miss Oklahoma USA
For the article about the Miss America state pageant, see Miss OklahomaThe Miss Oklahoma USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Oklahoma in the Miss USA pageant....
). Future Productions direct the most states, six, across the Midwest and Rockies.
Winners
The first Asian American woman to win Miss USA was Macel Wilson in 1962; the first Hispanic was Laura Martinez-Herring in 1985; the first African-American, Carole GistCarole Gist
Carole Anne-Marie Gist was the first African American woman to win the Miss USA title. Gist first won the title of Miss Michigan USA and went on to win the Miss USA crown on March 2, 1990 in Wichita, Kansas...
in 1990; and the first Miss USA of Middle-Eastern descent was Rima Fakih
Rima Fakih
Rima Fakih is an American beauty pageant contestant, and winner of the 2010 Miss USA title, and is also training to be a professional wrestler in WWE as a WWE Diva. She represented the state of Michigan in the Miss USA 2010 pageant, having previously won the 2010 Miss Michigan USA competition...
in 2010.
Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood is an American model and pageant winner. She was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She was Miss USA 1997 and Miss Teen USA 1989 and was a frequent rotating Barker's Beauty model on the US daytime television game show The Price Is Right from 2002-2009.-Pageant history:In 1997, she won...
is the only woman to have held both the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA titles. She was Miss Idaho Teen USA
Miss Idaho Teen USA
The Miss Idaho Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Idaho in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Idaho has only placed twice and as such is one of the least successful states at Miss Teen USA...
, Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
1989, Miss Idaho USA
Miss Idaho USA
The Miss Idaho USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state of Idaho in the Miss USA pageant.Idaho is one of the least successful states in the history of the competition, with only four placements in fifty-seven years...
1997, first runner-up at Miss USA 1997
Miss USA 1997
Miss USA 1997, the forty-sixth Miss USA pageant, was held at Shreveport, Louisiana in January and February, 1997. Delegates arrived in the city on January 19, the preliminary competition was held on February 2, 1997 and the final competition on February 5, 1997...
and in May 1997 assumed the Miss USA title after Brook Lee won the Miss Universe pageant. Nine other Miss USA titleholders have also previously competed at Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
. These include:
- Shanna MoaklerShanna MoaklerShanna Lynn Moakler is an American model, actress, reality television star and a former beauty queen. She was the winner of the Miss New York USA pageant in 1995 and was originally the first runner-up at Miss USA 1995. She was later crowned Miss USA after Chelsi Smith won Miss Universe...
(1995), (Miss Rhode Island Teen USAMiss Rhode Island Teen USAThe Miss Rhode Island Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Rhode Island in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1992), Ali LandryAli LandryAli Germaine Landry is a former Miss USA , model and actress. She is perhaps best known as the Doritos Girl from her 1998 Super Bowl commercial, and for her portrayal of Rita Lefleur on the UPN sitcom Eve. In 1998, she was named by People magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world.-...
(1996), (Miss Louisiana Teen USAMiss Louisiana Teen USAThe Miss Louisiana Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Louisiana in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1990), Kimberly PresslerKimberly PresslerKimberly Pressler is an entertainment presenter and former Miss USA. She is one of few women to win both the Miss New York Teen USA and Miss New York USA titles.-Pageant career:...
(1999) (Miss New York Teen USAMiss New York Teen USAThe Miss New York Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Like the first Miss USA competition , the first Miss Teen USA competition was won by a Miss New York Teen USA. That winner was Ruth Zakarian, who went on to...
1994), Lynnette ColeLynnette ColeLynnette Cole-O'Nan , won the title Miss Tennessee USA in 2000. She went on to become the first woman from that state to win the Miss USA pageant, which was held in Branson, Missouri on February 4, 2000....
(2000) (Miss Tennessee Teen USAMiss Tennessee Teen USAThe Miss Tennessee Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Tennessee in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1995), Susie CastilloSusie CastilloSusie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants...
(2003) (Miss Massachusetts Teen USAMiss Massachusetts Teen USAThe Miss Massachusetts Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1998), Chelsea CooleyChelsea CooleyChelsea Cooley is a beauty queen from Charlotte, North Carolina who has competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and who has held the Miss USA 2005 title....
(2005) (Miss North Carolina Teen USAMiss North Carolina Teen USAThe Miss North Carolina Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of North Carolina in the Miss Teen USA pageant and is part of the RPM Productions group....
2000), Tara ConnerTara ConnerTara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,...
(2006) (Miss Kentucky Teen USAMiss Kentucky Teen USAThe Miss Kentucky Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Kentucky is ranked eight in terms of place and value of placements across all twenty-three years of competition at Miss Teen USA. When this is broken down to...
2002), Rachel SmithRachel SmithRachel Renee Smith is an American beauty queen and television personality from Clarksville, Tennessee, who won the Miss USA pageant in 2007 and who previously had competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant.-Early life:...
(2007) (Miss Tennessee Teen USAMiss Tennessee Teen USAThe Miss Tennessee Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Tennessee in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
2002) and Alyssa CampanellaAlyssa CampanellaAlyssa Campanella is a beauty pageant titleholder from the United States, who is the current titleholder and winner of the 2011 Miss USA pageant....
(2011) (Miss New Jersey Teen USAMiss New Jersey Teen USAThe Miss New Jersey Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New Jersey in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
2007).
Five Miss USA titleholders have also competed at Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
. These included: (Miriam Stevenson
Miriam Stevenson
Miriam Jacqueline Stevenson born 4 July 1933, of Winnsboro, South Carolina, won the Miss USA pageant as Miss South Carolina USA in 1954. She was the first Miss USA to hold the Miss Universe beauty crown....
, Carlene King Johnson
Carlene King Johnson
Carlene King Johnson Drake was Miss USA 1955.After winning the Miss Vermont USA crown, Johnson, from Rutland, Vermont went on to become Vermont's only representative to achieve the title of Miss USA. Previously, she was Miss Vermont 1953.Johnson was born to Dr. Norman & Katherine King Johnson....
and Carol Morris
Carol Morris
Carol Ann Laverne Morris , Miss Iowa USA, was the second Miss USA to win the Miss Universe title in the pageant's fifth edition in 1956....
) (1954–1956), Mai Shanley
Mai Shanley
Mai Therese Shanley , Miss New Mexico USA, Miss USA 1984, is a former beauty queen. Her mother is ethnically Taiwanese and is from Taiwan, while her father is Irish American....
(1984) and Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award...
(2004). Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004 and Miss Missouri
Miss Missouri
The Miss Missouri competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Missouri in the Miss America pageant.-History:From 1935 to 1970, the Miss Missouri pageant was held in a number of locations, including St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield.In 1970, the pageant was held...
2002 won a preliminary evening gown award at Miss America 2003
Miss America 2003
Miss America 2003, the 82nd Miss America, pageant, was televised live from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 21, 2002 on the ABC Network...
. Also, Miriam Stevenson placed in the top 10 at Miss America 1954
Miss America 1954
Miss America 1954, the 27th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 12, 1953. Though four women from the state had previously held the title , Ay was the first Miss Pennsylvania to be crowned Miss America, as the others had represented...
as Miss South Carolina
Miss South Carolina
The Miss South Carolina competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of South Carolina in the Miss America pageant. The pageant was first held in Myrtle Beach and moved to Greenville starting in 1958 and remained in that city until the 90s. Spartanburg has hosted the...
1953.
Many Miss USA winners have gone to pursue careers in the entertainment
Entertainment
Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...
industry. Those who have been successful in the industry include Summer Bartholomew
Summer Bartholomew
Summer Robin Bartholomew is a model and actress who won the 1975 Miss USA pageant.Her first pageant experience came in 1973 when she won the Miss Oktoberfest title....
, Deborah Shelton
Deborah Shelton
Deborah 'Debbie' Shelton is an American beauty queen and actress who held the Miss USA title and appeared on Dallas for three seasons.-Pageants:In 1970 Shelton competed in the Miss Virginia USA pageant to spite her then boyfriend...
, Laura Martinez-Herring
Laura Harring
Laura Harring is a Mexican-American actress and former Miss USA . She is known for her role as Rita in Mulholland Drive.-Early life:...
, Shanna Moakler
Shanna Moakler
Shanna Lynn Moakler is an American model, actress, reality television star and a former beauty queen. She was the winner of the Miss New York USA pageant in 1995 and was originally the first runner-up at Miss USA 1995. She was later crowned Miss USA after Chelsi Smith won Miss Universe...
, Ali Landry
Ali Landry
Ali Germaine Landry is a former Miss USA , model and actress. She is perhaps best known as the Doritos Girl from her 1998 Super Bowl commercial, and for her portrayal of Rita Lefleur on the UPN sitcom Eve. In 1998, she was named by People magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world.-...
, Kenya Moore
Kenya Moore
Kenya Summer Moore is an American film and television actress, producer, beauty queen, model and author.She is recognizable for her roles in movies such as Waiting to Exhale, Deliver Us from Eva and the 2007 Lindsay Lohan thriller I Know Who Killed Me...
, Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood is an American model and pageant winner. She was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She was Miss USA 1997 and Miss Teen USA 1989 and was a frequent rotating Barker's Beauty model on the US daytime television game show The Price Is Right from 2002-2009.-Pageant history:In 1997, she won...
, Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants...
and Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award...
.
Recent titleholders
| Year | Miss USA | State Represented | Host City | Placement at Miss Universe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Miss USA 2011 Miss USA 2011, the 60th anniversary of the Miss USA pageant, was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, June 19, 2011. Miss USA 2010, Rima Fakih of Michigan crowned her successor, Alyssa Campanella of California, at the end... |
Alyssa Campanella Alyssa Campanella Alyssa Campanella is a beauty pageant titleholder from the United States, who is the current titleholder and winner of the 2011 Miss USA pageant.... |
California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas metropolitan area The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Top 16 Semi-finalist |
| 2010 Miss USA 2010 Miss USA 2010, the 59th edition of the Miss USA pageant, was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 16, 2010. Miss USA 2009, Kristen Dalton of North Carolina, crowned her successor, Rima Fakih of Michigan as Miss USA 2010 at the... |
Rima Fakih Rima Fakih Rima Fakih is an American beauty pageant contestant, and winner of the 2010 Miss USA title, and is also training to be a professional wrestler in WWE as a WWE Diva. She represented the state of Michigan in the Miss USA 2010 pageant, having previously won the 2010 Miss Michigan USA competition... |
Michigan Miss Michigan USA The Miss Michigan USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Michigan in the Miss USA pageant.Michigan is recognized by as being within the top 15 states in terms of Miss USA success. Their first Miss USA victory was in 1990, and notable because Carole Gist... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas metropolitan area The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Non-Finalist |
| 2009 Miss USA 2009 Miss USA 2009, the 58th Miss USA pageant was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19, 2009... |
Kristen Dalton Kristen Dalton (Miss USA) Kristen Jeannine Dalton , from Wilmington, North Carolina, is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2009.-Biography:Dalton is the daughter of Jeannine Dalton who was Miss North Carolina USA 1982... |
North Carolina Miss North Carolina USA The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group.... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Top 10 Finalist |
| 2008 Miss USA 2008 Miss USA 2008, the 57th Miss USA beauty pageant, was held in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 11, 2008. At the conclusion of the final night of competition, Crystle Stewart, Miss Texas USA, was crowned the winner by outgoing titleholder, Rachel Smith of Tennessee... |
Crystle Stewart Crystle Stewart Crystle Danae Stewart , from Missouri City, Texas, is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2008. She was born to Robert & Cynthia Franklin Stewart... |
Texas Miss Texas USA The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe.... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Top 10 Finalist |
| 2007 Miss USA 2007 Miss USA 2007, the 56th Miss USA pageant, was held in Hollywood, California, on March 23, 2007, after two weeks of events and preliminary competition. The winner of the pageant was Rachel Smith, of Tennessee.... |
Rachel Smith Rachel Smith Rachel Renee Smith is an American beauty queen and television personality from Clarksville, Tennessee, who won the Miss USA pageant in 2007 and who previously had competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant.-Early life:... |
Tennessee Miss Tennessee USA The Miss Tennessee USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss USA pageant.Since 2001 the pageant has been held in the auditorium at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.... |
Hollywood, California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
4th runner-up |
| 2006 Miss USA 2006 Miss USA 2006, the 55th Miss USA pageant, was held at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland on April 21, 2006. Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title, which was won by Tara Conner of Kentucky... |
Tara Conner Tara Conner Tara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,... |
Kentucky Miss Kentucky USA The Miss Kentucky USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss USA pageant. The current director for the Miss Kentucky USA and Miss Kentucky Teen USA titles is Connie Clark Harrison. Mrs... |
Baltimore, Maryland Maryland Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east... |
4th runner-up |
| 2005 Miss USA 2005 Miss USA 2005, the 54th Miss USA pageant, was held in Baltimore, Maryland in April 11, 2005. It was won by Chelsea Cooley of North Carolina.Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title of Miss USA in the Hippodrome Theatre on April 11, 2005... |
Chelsea Cooley Chelsea Cooley Chelsea Cooley is a beauty queen from Charlotte, North Carolina who has competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and who has held the Miss USA 2005 title.... |
North Carolina Miss North Carolina USA The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group.... |
Baltimore, Maryland Maryland Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east... |
Top 10 Finalist |
| 2004 Miss USA 2004 The Miss USA 2004 pageant was held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on April 12, 2004. The winner of the beauty pageant was Shandi Finnessey, who became the first winner from the state of Missouri... |
Shandi Finnessey Shandi Finnessey Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award... |
Missouri Miss Missouri USA The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system.... |
Hollywood, California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
1st runner-up |
| 2003 Miss USA 2003 The Miss USA 2003 pageant was held in San Antonio, Texas March 24, 2003, the first time it had been held in this state since 1996 when the pageant was held in South Padre Island... |
Susie Castillo Susie Castillo Susie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants... |
Massachusetts Miss Massachusetts USA The Miss Massachusetts USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss USA pageant.... |
San Antonio San Antonio, Texas San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,... , Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
Top 15 Semi-finalist |
| 2002 Miss USA 2002 The Miss USA 2002 pageant was held in Gary, Indiana on March 2, 2002. The event was won by Shauntay Hinton of the District of Columbia, who was crowned by outgoing queen Kandace Krueger of Texas.... |
Shauntay Hinton Shauntay Hinton Shauntay Hinton is an actress and former beauty queen from Starkville, Mississippi who won the Miss USA title in 2002.-Education:Hinton graduated from Starkville High School in 1997. She later studied broadcast communications at Howard University.... |
District of Columbia Miss District of Columbia USA The Miss District of Columbia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the District of Columbia in the Miss USA pageant.... |
Gary Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known... , Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... |
Non Finalist |
| 2001 Miss USA 2001 Miss USA 2001, the 50th edition of the Miss USA pageant was held at the Genesis Convention Center, Gary, Indiana on March 2, 2001. The event was won by Kandace Krueger of Texas, who was crowned by outgoing queen Lynnette Cole of Tennessee.... |
Kandace Krueger Kandace Krueger Kandace Gayle Krueger Matthews is an American television personality and former beauty queen who has held the Miss USA title. She was born and raised in Austin, Texas. She was born to Larry & Barbara Johnson Krueger... |
Texas Miss Texas USA The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe.... |
Gary Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known... , Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... |
2nd runner-up |
Winners gallery
The Miss USA beauty contest
Beauty contest
A beauty pageant or beauty contest, is a competition that mainly focuses on the physical beauty of its contestants, although such contests often incorporate personality, talent, and answers to judges' questions as judged criteria...
has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entrant in the Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
pageant. The Miss Universe Organization
Miss Universe Organization
The Miss Universe Organization is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA beauty contests. Based in New York, it is owned jointly by NBC Universal and Donald Trump. The current president is Paula Shugart...
operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
. Miss USA 2011 is Alyssa Campanella
Alyssa Campanella
Alyssa Campanella is a beauty pageant titleholder from the United States, who is the current titleholder and winner of the 2011 Miss USA pageant....
, the current titleholder, who competed as Miss California USA
Miss California USA
Miss California USA is a pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant.The current titleholder is Katie Blair. She succeeded Alyssa Campanella on June 25, 2011 after Campanella was crowned Miss USA 2011....
History
The Miss USA pageant was conceived in 1950 when Yolande BetbezeYolande Betbeze
Yolande Betbeze Fox was Miss America in 1951.Fox entered Miss Alabama for the scholarship opportunities the pageant presented...
, winner of the rival Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
pageant, refused to pose for publicity pictures while wearing a swimsuit. Pageant sponsor Catalina
Catalina swimwear
Catalina is one of the oldest apparel manufacturers in California and one of the best known names in the swimwear industry. Their history began in 1907, as Bentz Knitting Mills, a small manufacturer of underwear and sweaters. The name was changed to Pacific Knitting Mills in 1912, accompanied by...
decided to pull their sponsorship off the pageant, and create their own competition. Other owners have included a subsidiary of Gulf+Western
Gulf+Western
Gulf and Western Industries, Inc., for a number of years known as Gulf+Western, was an American conglomerate.- History :Gulf and Western's prosaic origins date to a manufacturer named Michigan Bumper Co. founded in 1934, though Charles Bluhdorn treated his 1958 takeover of what was then Michigan...
Industries, ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation is a global diversified manufacturing company based in the United States. ITT participates in global markets including water and fluids management, defense and security, and motion and flow control...
, and billionaire Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
, the current owner who bought the pageant in 1996.
The first Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants were held concurrently in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
in 1952; the first Miss USA winner was Miss New York USA
Miss New York USA
The Miss New York USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss USA pageant. Amber Collins is the reigning Miss New York USA 2011...
Jackie Loughery
Jackie Loughery
Jacqueline "Jackie" Loughery is best known as the first Miss New York USA and winner of the first Miss USA beauty pageant, in Long Beach, California. In 1952, she won the title only after a second ballot broke a first-place tie...
. There were thirty delegates in the first year of competition, and many states did not compete every year during the first two decades of the pageant's history. From the 1970s, each state and the District of Columbia have sent a delegate each year. Alaska
Miss Alaska USA
The Miss Alaska USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Alaska in the Miss USA pageant.Alaska's highest placement was in 1964, with Patricia Marlin as the second runner up. Alaska's most recent placement was in 1990 when Karin Meyer placed in the top 6...
first competed in 1959 and Hawaii
Miss Hawaii USA
The Miss Hawaii USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Hawaii in the Miss USA pageant.Hawaii is the most recent state to start competing at Miss USA, as it first competed in 1962. Prior to this delegates were sent to Miss Universe...
in 1960. Both had competed at Miss Universe until this time.
The pageant aired on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
from 1963
1963 in television
The year 1963 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1963.-Events:*January 13 – BBC Television broadcasts the play The Madhouse on Castle Street in the Sunday-Night Theatre strand...
until 2002
2002 in television
The year 2002 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2002.For the American TV schedule, see: 2002–03 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:...
, and for many years was known for having a CBS game show host as pageant host. John Charles Daly
John Charles Daly
John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly John Charles Patrick Croghan Daly (generally known as John Charles Daly or simply John Daly (February 20, 1914 – February 24, 1991) was an American journalist, game show host and radio personality, probably best known for hosting...
hosted the show from 1963–1966, Bob Barker
Bob Barker
Robert William "Bob" Barker is a former American television game show host. He is best known for hosting CBS's The Price Is Right from 1972 to 2007, making it the longest-running daytime game show in North American television history, and for hosting Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1975.Born...
from 1967 until 1987 (at which point he quit in a dispute over fur coats), Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
in 1988, Dick Clark from 1989–1993, and Bob Goen
Bob Goen
Robert Kuehl "Bob" Goen is an American game show emcee and television personality, best known for his work on Entertainment Tonight between 1993 and 2004...
from 1994–1996. The show's highest ratings were in the early 1980s, when it regularly topped the Neilsen ratings. Viewership dropped sharply from the 1990s to the 2000s, from an estimated viewership of 20 million to an average of 7 million from 2000–2001. In 2002, owner Donald Trump brokered a new deal with NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, giving them half-ownership of the Miss USA, Miss Universe and Miss Teen USA and moving them to NBC on an initial five year contract. The pageants were first shown on NBC in 2003.
Historically, the winner of the Miss USA title has represented the United States in its sister Miss Universe pageant. Since its inception, seven Miss USA titleholders have gone on to win Miss Universe. In the mid-1960s, it was established when a Miss USA wins the Miss Universe title, the first runner-up assumes the Miss USA title for the remainder of the year. This has happened in 1980, 1995 and 1997. In 1967, the first runner-up declined the title and the crown went to the second runner-up Cheryl Patton
Cheryl Patton
Cheryl Patton is a pageant titleholder from North Miami Beach, Florida who has held the Miss USA title.In 1966 Patton was a runner-up in the Miss Florida World pageant. The following year she won the Miss Florida USA 1967 title and represented Florida in the Miss USA 1967 pageant held in Miami...
. The only instance where a first runner-up assumed the title of Miss USA prior to this period was in 1957 when Mary Leona Gage
Mary Leona Gage
Mary Leona Gage was a beauty queen from Maryland who was crowned Miss USA 1957, the first, and so far, only woman from that state to capture the Miss USA crown...
resigned when it was discovered she was married.
Competition
The modern pageant consists of a preliminary competition, held in the week before the pageant where all contestants are judged in swimsuit, gown, and interview. From this, semifinalists are chosen, and they are announced during the live broadcast of the final competition. These semifinalists then compete in swimsuit and evening gown, and the finalists are chosen. This is when the interview competition is held. The runners-up and winner are announced at the end of the telecast. Since 1997, the judges for the finals have been different from those who judged the Preliminary competition.From 1975–2000, all delegates who made the initial cut competed in an interview competition in some format, often involving all semi-finalists. As of 2001, this interview portion was taken away, leaving only the final question for the top five delegates to answer.
From 1979–2002, the average scores of each delegate were shown on the television broadcast and thus the semi-finalists could be ranked. This was changed in 2003 to a "circle" system where judges choose a certain number of delegates to "circle", and those with the most "circles" made the cut. This was the same system that was used prior to the computer scoring system implemented in 1979. In 2007, this system came back and contestants' composite scores are shown live.
State competitions
Every year, each state holds a preliminary competition to choose their delegate for the Miss USA pageant. In some states (such as TexasMiss Texas USA
The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe....
and Florida
Miss Florida USA
The Miss Florida USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Florida in the Miss USA pageant.While Florida has been successful in terms of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, the state has never won the Miss USA pageant, although Cheryl Patton became Miss USA...
), local pageants are also held to determine delegates for the state competition. The state winners hold the title "Miss State USA" for the year of their reign.
The most successful state is Texas, which has had the most semi-finalists and winners, including five consecutive Miss USA titleholders during the 1980s. Other successful states include California
Miss California USA
Miss California USA is a pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant.The current titleholder is Katie Blair. She succeeded Alyssa Campanella on June 25, 2011 after Campanella was crowned Miss USA 2011....
, New York
Miss New York USA
The Miss New York USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss USA pageant. Amber Collins is the reigning Miss New York USA 2011...
, Alabama
Miss Alabama USA
The Miss Alabama USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Alabama in the Miss USA pageant.Alabama is one of the more successful and consistent states at Miss USA. Although they have had a number of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, they have only...
, Tennessee
Miss Tennessee USA
The Miss Tennessee USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss USA pageant.Since 2001 the pageant has been held in the auditorium at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee....
and Georgia
Miss Georgia USA
The Miss Georgia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Georgia in the Miss USA pageant.Historically, Georgia has been the eleventh most successful state at Miss USA and has performed in more recent years, placing eighth on the table of most successful states...
. The least successful states are Delaware
Miss Delaware USA
The Miss Delaware USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Delaware in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant is directed by D&D Investments....
, the only state that has never placed; Montana
Miss Montana USA
The Miss Montana USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Montana in the Miss USA pageant.Montana is one of the least successful states in Miss USA history, but there has been success in other pageants. Miss Montana USA 2005 Amanda Kimmel was chosen to...
, which has not placed since the 1950s; South Dakota
Miss South Dakota USA
The Miss South Dakota USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of South Dakota in the Miss USA pageant. This state pageant is currently directed by Future Productions....
, which has only placed twice (the last time in 1974), and Wyoming
Miss Wyoming USA
, Miss Wyoming USA 2012]]The Miss Wyoming USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Wyoming in the Miss USA pageant. The Miss Wyoming USA pageant is currently produced by Future Productions....
, which gained only its second placement in 2010. The only state which has produced more than one Miss Universe is South Carolina
Miss South Carolina USA
The Miss South Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state South Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant has been produced by RPM Productions since 1980....
.
The Miss Universe Organization
Miss Universe Organization
The Miss Universe Organization is the organization that currently owns and runs the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA beauty contests. Based in New York, it is owned jointly by NBC Universal and Donald Trump. The current president is Paula Shugart...
licenses out the state pageants to pageant directors, who in some cases are responsible for more than one state. The most well established directorial groups are RPM Productions, created in 1980 (Louisiana
Miss Louisiana USA
The Miss Louisiana USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Louisiana in the Miss USA pageant.Louisiana is one of the most successful states at Miss USA and is one of only seven states to have had three or more Miss USAs.Three Miss Louisiana USA titleholders...
, North Carolina
Miss North Carolina USA
The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group....
, South Carolina), and Vanbros, created in the early 1990s (Arkansas
Miss Arkansas USA
The Miss Arkansas USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Arkansas in the Miss USA pageant.The state pageant was directed by Premier Pageants from 2002 to 2007 before becoming part of the Vanbros organization in 2007...
, Kansas
Miss Kansas USA
The Miss Kansas USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state of Kansas in the Miss USA pageant.Kansas did not place at Miss USA until 1973, the third-to-last state to make their first placement. From then, no delegate from Kansas made the cut until 1991, when Kelli...
, Missouri
Miss Missouri USA
The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
, Nebraska
Miss Nebraska USA
The Miss Nebraska USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Nebraska in the Miss USA pageant.In 2002, Nebraska joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
and Oklahoma
Miss Oklahoma USA
For the article about the Miss America state pageant, see Miss OklahomaThe Miss Oklahoma USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Oklahoma in the Miss USA pageant....
). Future Productions direct the most states, six, across the Midwest and Rockies.
Winners
The first Asian American woman to win Miss USA was Macel Wilson in 1962; the first Hispanic was Laura Martinez-Herring in 1985; the first African-American, Carole GistCarole Gist
Carole Anne-Marie Gist was the first African American woman to win the Miss USA title. Gist first won the title of Miss Michigan USA and went on to win the Miss USA crown on March 2, 1990 in Wichita, Kansas...
in 1990; and the first Miss USA of Middle-Eastern descent was Rima Fakih
Rima Fakih
Rima Fakih is an American beauty pageant contestant, and winner of the 2010 Miss USA title, and is also training to be a professional wrestler in WWE as a WWE Diva. She represented the state of Michigan in the Miss USA 2010 pageant, having previously won the 2010 Miss Michigan USA competition...
in 2010.
Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood is an American model and pageant winner. She was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She was Miss USA 1997 and Miss Teen USA 1989 and was a frequent rotating Barker's Beauty model on the US daytime television game show The Price Is Right from 2002-2009.-Pageant history:In 1997, she won...
is the only woman to have held both the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA titles. She was Miss Idaho Teen USA
Miss Idaho Teen USA
The Miss Idaho Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Idaho in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Idaho has only placed twice and as such is one of the least successful states at Miss Teen USA...
, Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
1989, Miss Idaho USA
Miss Idaho USA
The Miss Idaho USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state of Idaho in the Miss USA pageant.Idaho is one of the least successful states in the history of the competition, with only four placements in fifty-seven years...
1997, first runner-up at Miss USA 1997
Miss USA 1997
Miss USA 1997, the forty-sixth Miss USA pageant, was held at Shreveport, Louisiana in January and February, 1997. Delegates arrived in the city on January 19, the preliminary competition was held on February 2, 1997 and the final competition on February 5, 1997...
and in May 1997 assumed the Miss USA title after Brook Lee won the Miss Universe pageant. Nine other Miss USA titleholders have also previously competed at Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
. These include:
- Shanna MoaklerShanna MoaklerShanna Lynn Moakler is an American model, actress, reality television star and a former beauty queen. She was the winner of the Miss New York USA pageant in 1995 and was originally the first runner-up at Miss USA 1995. She was later crowned Miss USA after Chelsi Smith won Miss Universe...
(1995), (Miss Rhode Island Teen USAMiss Rhode Island Teen USAThe Miss Rhode Island Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Rhode Island in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1992), Ali LandryAli LandryAli Germaine Landry is a former Miss USA , model and actress. She is perhaps best known as the Doritos Girl from her 1998 Super Bowl commercial, and for her portrayal of Rita Lefleur on the UPN sitcom Eve. In 1998, she was named by People magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world.-...
(1996), (Miss Louisiana Teen USAMiss Louisiana Teen USAThe Miss Louisiana Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Louisiana in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1990), Kimberly PresslerKimberly PresslerKimberly Pressler is an entertainment presenter and former Miss USA. She is one of few women to win both the Miss New York Teen USA and Miss New York USA titles.-Pageant career:...
(1999) (Miss New York Teen USAMiss New York Teen USAThe Miss New York Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Like the first Miss USA competition , the first Miss Teen USA competition was won by a Miss New York Teen USA. That winner was Ruth Zakarian, who went on to...
1994), Lynnette ColeLynnette ColeLynnette Cole-O'Nan , won the title Miss Tennessee USA in 2000. She went on to become the first woman from that state to win the Miss USA pageant, which was held in Branson, Missouri on February 4, 2000....
(2000) (Miss Tennessee Teen USAMiss Tennessee Teen USAThe Miss Tennessee Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Tennessee in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1995), Susie CastilloSusie CastilloSusie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants...
(2003) (Miss Massachusetts Teen USAMiss Massachusetts Teen USAThe Miss Massachusetts Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1998), Chelsea CooleyChelsea CooleyChelsea Cooley is a beauty queen from Charlotte, North Carolina who has competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and who has held the Miss USA 2005 title....
(2005) (Miss North Carolina Teen USAMiss North Carolina Teen USAThe Miss North Carolina Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of North Carolina in the Miss Teen USA pageant and is part of the RPM Productions group....
2000), Tara ConnerTara ConnerTara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,...
(2006) (Miss Kentucky Teen USAMiss Kentucky Teen USAThe Miss Kentucky Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Kentucky is ranked eight in terms of place and value of placements across all twenty-three years of competition at Miss Teen USA. When this is broken down to...
2002), Rachel SmithRachel SmithRachel Renee Smith is an American beauty queen and television personality from Clarksville, Tennessee, who won the Miss USA pageant in 2007 and who previously had competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant.-Early life:...
(2007) (Miss Tennessee Teen USAMiss Tennessee Teen USAThe Miss Tennessee Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Tennessee in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
2002) and Alyssa CampanellaAlyssa CampanellaAlyssa Campanella is a beauty pageant titleholder from the United States, who is the current titleholder and winner of the 2011 Miss USA pageant....
(2011) (Miss New Jersey Teen USAMiss New Jersey Teen USAThe Miss New Jersey Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New Jersey in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
2007).
Five Miss USA titleholders have also competed at Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
. These included: (Miriam Stevenson
Miriam Stevenson
Miriam Jacqueline Stevenson born 4 July 1933, of Winnsboro, South Carolina, won the Miss USA pageant as Miss South Carolina USA in 1954. She was the first Miss USA to hold the Miss Universe beauty crown....
, Carlene King Johnson
Carlene King Johnson
Carlene King Johnson Drake was Miss USA 1955.After winning the Miss Vermont USA crown, Johnson, from Rutland, Vermont went on to become Vermont's only representative to achieve the title of Miss USA. Previously, she was Miss Vermont 1953.Johnson was born to Dr. Norman & Katherine King Johnson....
and Carol Morris
Carol Morris
Carol Ann Laverne Morris , Miss Iowa USA, was the second Miss USA to win the Miss Universe title in the pageant's fifth edition in 1956....
) (1954–1956), Mai Shanley
Mai Shanley
Mai Therese Shanley , Miss New Mexico USA, Miss USA 1984, is a former beauty queen. Her mother is ethnically Taiwanese and is from Taiwan, while her father is Irish American....
(1984) and Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award...
(2004). Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004 and Miss Missouri
Miss Missouri
The Miss Missouri competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Missouri in the Miss America pageant.-History:From 1935 to 1970, the Miss Missouri pageant was held in a number of locations, including St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield.In 1970, the pageant was held...
2002 won a preliminary evening gown award at Miss America 2003
Miss America 2003
Miss America 2003, the 82nd Miss America, pageant, was televised live from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 21, 2002 on the ABC Network...
. Also, Miriam Stevenson placed in the top 10 at Miss America 1954
Miss America 1954
Miss America 1954, the 27th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 12, 1953. Though four women from the state had previously held the title , Ay was the first Miss Pennsylvania to be crowned Miss America, as the others had represented...
as Miss South Carolina
Miss South Carolina
The Miss South Carolina competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of South Carolina in the Miss America pageant. The pageant was first held in Myrtle Beach and moved to Greenville starting in 1958 and remained in that city until the 90s. Spartanburg has hosted the...
1953.
Many Miss USA winners have gone to pursue careers in the entertainment
Entertainment
Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...
industry. Those who have been successful in the industry include Summer Bartholomew
Summer Bartholomew
Summer Robin Bartholomew is a model and actress who won the 1975 Miss USA pageant.Her first pageant experience came in 1973 when she won the Miss Oktoberfest title....
, Deborah Shelton
Deborah Shelton
Deborah 'Debbie' Shelton is an American beauty queen and actress who held the Miss USA title and appeared on Dallas for three seasons.-Pageants:In 1970 Shelton competed in the Miss Virginia USA pageant to spite her then boyfriend...
, Laura Martinez-Herring
Laura Harring
Laura Harring is a Mexican-American actress and former Miss USA . She is known for her role as Rita in Mulholland Drive.-Early life:...
, Shanna Moakler
Shanna Moakler
Shanna Lynn Moakler is an American model, actress, reality television star and a former beauty queen. She was the winner of the Miss New York USA pageant in 1995 and was originally the first runner-up at Miss USA 1995. She was later crowned Miss USA after Chelsi Smith won Miss Universe...
, Ali Landry
Ali Landry
Ali Germaine Landry is a former Miss USA , model and actress. She is perhaps best known as the Doritos Girl from her 1998 Super Bowl commercial, and for her portrayal of Rita Lefleur on the UPN sitcom Eve. In 1998, she was named by People magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world.-...
, Kenya Moore
Kenya Moore
Kenya Summer Moore is an American film and television actress, producer, beauty queen, model and author.She is recognizable for her roles in movies such as Waiting to Exhale, Deliver Us from Eva and the 2007 Lindsay Lohan thriller I Know Who Killed Me...
, Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood
Brandi Sherwood is an American model and pageant winner. She was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She was Miss USA 1997 and Miss Teen USA 1989 and was a frequent rotating Barker's Beauty model on the US daytime television game show The Price Is Right from 2002-2009.-Pageant history:In 1997, she won...
, Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants...
and Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award...
.
Recent titleholders
| Year | Miss USA | State Represented | Host City | Placement at Miss Universe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Miss USA 2011 Miss USA 2011, the 60th anniversary of the Miss USA pageant, was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, June 19, 2011. Miss USA 2010, Rima Fakih of Michigan crowned her successor, Alyssa Campanella of California, at the end... |
Alyssa Campanella Alyssa Campanella Alyssa Campanella is a beauty pageant titleholder from the United States, who is the current titleholder and winner of the 2011 Miss USA pageant.... |
California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas metropolitan area The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Top 16 Semi-finalist |
| 2010 Miss USA 2010 Miss USA 2010, the 59th edition of the Miss USA pageant, was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 16, 2010. Miss USA 2009, Kristen Dalton of North Carolina, crowned her successor, Rima Fakih of Michigan as Miss USA 2010 at the... |
Rima Fakih Rima Fakih Rima Fakih is an American beauty pageant contestant, and winner of the 2010 Miss USA title, and is also training to be a professional wrestler in WWE as a WWE Diva. She represented the state of Michigan in the Miss USA 2010 pageant, having previously won the 2010 Miss Michigan USA competition... |
Michigan Miss Michigan USA The Miss Michigan USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Michigan in the Miss USA pageant.Michigan is recognized by as being within the top 15 states in terms of Miss USA success. Their first Miss USA victory was in 1990, and notable because Carole Gist... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas metropolitan area The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Non-Finalist |
| 2009 Miss USA 2009 Miss USA 2009, the 58th Miss USA pageant was held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19, 2009... |
Kristen Dalton Kristen Dalton (Miss USA) Kristen Jeannine Dalton , from Wilmington, North Carolina, is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2009.-Biography:Dalton is the daughter of Jeannine Dalton who was Miss North Carolina USA 1982... |
North Carolina Miss North Carolina USA The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group.... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Top 10 Finalist |
| 2008 Miss USA 2008 Miss USA 2008, the 57th Miss USA beauty pageant, was held in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 11, 2008. At the conclusion of the final night of competition, Crystle Stewart, Miss Texas USA, was crowned the winner by outgoing titleholder, Rachel Smith of Tennessee... |
Crystle Stewart Crystle Stewart Crystle Danae Stewart , from Missouri City, Texas, is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2008. She was born to Robert & Cynthia Franklin Stewart... |
Texas Miss Texas USA The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe.... |
Las Vegas Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
Top 10 Finalist |
| 2007 Miss USA 2007 Miss USA 2007, the 56th Miss USA pageant, was held in Hollywood, California, on March 23, 2007, after two weeks of events and preliminary competition. The winner of the pageant was Rachel Smith, of Tennessee.... |
Rachel Smith Rachel Smith Rachel Renee Smith is an American beauty queen and television personality from Clarksville, Tennessee, who won the Miss USA pageant in 2007 and who previously had competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant.-Early life:... |
Tennessee Miss Tennessee USA The Miss Tennessee USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss USA pageant.Since 2001 the pageant has been held in the auditorium at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.... |
Hollywood, California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
4th runner-up |
| 2006 Miss USA 2006 Miss USA 2006, the 55th Miss USA pageant, was held at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland on April 21, 2006. Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title, which was won by Tara Conner of Kentucky... |
Tara Conner Tara Conner Tara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,... |
Kentucky Miss Kentucky USA The Miss Kentucky USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss USA pageant. The current director for the Miss Kentucky USA and Miss Kentucky Teen USA titles is Connie Clark Harrison. Mrs... |
Baltimore, Maryland Maryland Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east... |
4th runner-up |
| 2005 Miss USA 2005 Miss USA 2005, the 54th Miss USA pageant, was held in Baltimore, Maryland in April 11, 2005. It was won by Chelsea Cooley of North Carolina.Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title of Miss USA in the Hippodrome Theatre on April 11, 2005... |
Chelsea Cooley Chelsea Cooley Chelsea Cooley is a beauty queen from Charlotte, North Carolina who has competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and who has held the Miss USA 2005 title.... |
North Carolina Miss North Carolina USA The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group.... |
Baltimore, Maryland Maryland Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east... |
Top 10 Finalist |
| 2004 Miss USA 2004 The Miss USA 2004 pageant was held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on April 12, 2004. The winner of the beauty pageant was Shandi Finnessey, who became the first winner from the state of Missouri... |
Shandi Finnessey Shandi Finnessey Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award... |
Missouri Miss Missouri USA The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system.... |
Hollywood, California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
1st runner-up |
| 2003 Miss USA 2003 The Miss USA 2003 pageant was held in San Antonio, Texas March 24, 2003, the first time it had been held in this state since 1996 when the pageant was held in South Padre Island... |
Susie Castillo Susie Castillo Susie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants... |
Massachusetts Miss Massachusetts USA The Miss Massachusetts USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss USA pageant.... |
San Antonio San Antonio, Texas San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,... , Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
Top 15 Semi-finalist |
| 2002 Miss USA 2002 The Miss USA 2002 pageant was held in Gary, Indiana on March 2, 2002. The event was won by Shauntay Hinton of the District of Columbia, who was crowned by outgoing queen Kandace Krueger of Texas.... |
Shauntay Hinton Shauntay Hinton Shauntay Hinton is an actress and former beauty queen from Starkville, Mississippi who won the Miss USA title in 2002.-Education:Hinton graduated from Starkville High School in 1997. She later studied broadcast communications at Howard University.... |
District of Columbia Miss District of Columbia USA The Miss District of Columbia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the District of Columbia in the Miss USA pageant.... |
Gary Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known... , Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... |
Non Finalist |
| 2001 Miss USA 2001 Miss USA 2001, the 50th edition of the Miss USA pageant was held at the Genesis Convention Center, Gary, Indiana on March 2, 2001. The event was won by Kandace Krueger of Texas, who was crowned by outgoing queen Lynnette Cole of Tennessee.... |
Kandace Krueger Kandace Krueger Kandace Gayle Krueger Matthews is an American television personality and former beauty queen who has held the Miss USA title. She was born and raised in Austin, Texas. She was born to Larry & Barbara Johnson Krueger... |
Texas Miss Texas USA The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe.... |
Gary Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known... , Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... |
2nd runner-up |
Winners gallery
File:Rima_Fakih.jpg|Miss USA 2010
Rima Fakih
Rima Fakih
Rima Fakih is an American beauty pageant contestant, and winner of the 2010 Miss USA title, and is also training to be a professional wrestler in WWE as a WWE Diva. She represented the state of Michigan in the Miss USA 2010 pageant, having previously won the 2010 Miss Michigan USA competition...
, who competed as Miss Michigan USA
Miss Michigan USA
The Miss Michigan USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Michigan in the Miss USA pageant.Michigan is recognized by as being within the top 15 states in terms of Miss USA success. Their first Miss USA victory was in 1990, and notable because Carole Gist...
File:Kristen Dalton 2009.jpg|Miss USA 2009
Kristen Dalton
Kristen Dalton (Miss USA)
Kristen Jeannine Dalton , from Wilmington, North Carolina, is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2009.-Biography:Dalton is the daughter of Jeannine Dalton who was Miss North Carolina USA 1982...
, who competed as Miss North Carolina USA
Miss North Carolina USA
The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group....
File:Miss USA Crystle Stewart at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.jpg|Miss USA 2008
Crystle Stewart
Crystle Stewart
Crystle Danae Stewart , from Missouri City, Texas, is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 2008. She was born to Robert & Cynthia Franklin Stewart...
, who competed as Miss Texas USA
Miss Texas USA
The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe....
File:Rachel Smith headshot.png|Miss USA 2007
Rachel Smith
Rachel Smith
Rachel Renee Smith is an American beauty queen and television personality from Clarksville, Tennessee, who won the Miss USA pageant in 2007 and who previously had competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant.-Early life:...
, who competed as Miss Tennessee USA
Miss Tennessee USA
The Miss Tennessee USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss USA pageant.Since 2001 the pageant has been held in the auditorium at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee....
File:TaraConneratWillowGrove3.jpg|Miss USA 2006
Tara Conner
Tara Conner
Tara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,...
, who competed as Miss Kentucky USA
Miss Kentucky USA
The Miss Kentucky USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kentucky in the Miss USA pageant. The current director for the Miss Kentucky USA and Miss Kentucky Teen USA titles is Connie Clark Harrison. Mrs...
File:Chelsea Cooley 2.jpg|Miss USA 2005
Chelsea Cooley
Chelsea Cooley
Chelsea Cooley is a beauty queen from Charlotte, North Carolina who has competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and who has held the Miss USA 2005 title....
, who competed as Miss North Carolina USA
Miss North Carolina USA
The Miss North Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state North Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. This state is part of the RPM Productions group....
File:Shandi Finnessey.jpg|Miss USA 2004
Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Finnessey
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American beauty queen, model, television hostess, and actress. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America where she won a preliminary award...
, who competed as Miss Missouri USA
Miss Missouri USA
The Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
File:Susie Castillo headshot 2.png|Miss USA 2003
Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants...
, who competed as Miss Massachusetts USA
Miss Massachusetts USA
The Miss Massachusetts USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss USA pageant....
File:Shauntay Hinton.jpg|Miss USA 2002
Shauntay Hinton
Shauntay Hinton
Shauntay Hinton is an actress and former beauty queen from Starkville, Mississippi who won the Miss USA title in 2002.-Education:Hinton graduated from Starkville High School in 1997. She later studied broadcast communications at Howard University....
, who competed as Miss District of Columbia USA
Miss District of Columbia USA
The Miss District of Columbia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the District of Columbia in the Miss USA pageant....
File:KandaceKrueger1cropped.jpg|Miss USA 2001
Kandace Krueger
Kandace Krueger
Kandace Gayle Krueger Matthews is an American television personality and former beauty queen who has held the Miss USA title. She was born and raised in Austin, Texas. She was born to Larry & Barbara Johnson Krueger...
, who competed as Miss Texas USA
Miss Texas USA
The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe....
File:Brook_Lee.JPG|Miss Universe 1997
Brook Lee, who competed as Miss Hawaii USA
Miss Hawaii USA
The Miss Hawaii USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Hawaii in the Miss USA pageant.Hawaii is the most recent state to start competing at Miss USA, as it first competed in 1962. Prior to this delegates were sent to Miss Universe...
File:Ali Landry 2.jpg|Miss USA 1996
Ali Landry
Ali Landry
Ali Germaine Landry is a former Miss USA , model and actress. She is perhaps best known as the Doritos Girl from her 1998 Super Bowl commercial, and for her portrayal of Rita Lefleur on the UPN sitcom Eve. In 1998, she was named by People magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world.-...
, who competed as Miss Louisiana USA
Miss Louisiana USA
The Miss Louisiana USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Louisiana in the Miss USA pageant.Louisiana is one of the most successful states at Miss USA and is one of only seven states to have had three or more Miss USAs.Three Miss Louisiana USA titleholders...
File:Shanna Moakler 2010.jpg|Miss USA 1995
Shanna Moakler
Shanna Moakler
Shanna Lynn Moakler is an American model, actress, reality television star and a former beauty queen. She was the winner of the Miss New York USA pageant in 1995 and was originally the first runner-up at Miss USA 1995. She was later crowned Miss USA after Chelsi Smith won Miss Universe...
, who competed as Miss New York USA
Miss New York USA
The Miss New York USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New York in the Miss USA pageant. Amber Collins is the reigning Miss New York USA 2011...
File:Kenya moore sidesmilegoldLB1.JPG|Miss USA 1993
Kenya Moore
Kenya Moore
Kenya Summer Moore is an American film and television actress, producer, beauty queen, model and author.She is recognizable for her roles in movies such as Waiting to Exhale, Deliver Us from Eva and the 2007 Lindsay Lohan thriller I Know Who Killed Me...
, who competed as Miss Michigan USA
Miss Michigan USA
The Miss Michigan USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Michigan in the Miss USA pageant.Michigan is recognized by as being within the top 15 states in terms of Miss USA success. Their first Miss USA victory was in 1990, and notable because Carole Gist...
File:MichelleRoyer.jpg|Miss USA 1987
Michelle Royer
Michelle Royer
Michelle Renee Royer-Jefferson is a former Miss USA and second runner-up to .-Early life:Prior to competing in Miss Texas USA, Jefferson was a student at Texas Wesleyan University...
, who competed as Miss Texas USA
Miss Texas USA
The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe....
File:ChristyFichtner.jpg|Miss USA 1986
Christy Fichtner
Christy Fichtner
Christiane Crane "Christy" Fichtner is a former Miss USA and first runner-up to . In 2003, she participated in Who Wants to Marry My Dad?.-Early life:...
, who competed as Miss Texas USA
Miss Texas USA
The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe....
File:Laura_Harring_2011.jpg|Miss USA 1985
Laura Harring
Laura Harring
Laura Harring is a Mexican-American actress and former Miss USA . She is known for her role as Rita in Mulholland Drive.-Early life:...
, who competed as Miss Texas USA
Miss Texas USA
The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe....
File:Julie Hayek Miss USA 1983.png|Miss USA 1983
Julie Hayek
Julie Hayek
Julie Lynne Hayek is an American beauty queen and actress who was Miss USA 1983.-Early life:Hayek is of Czech and German descent on her father's side and Norwegian, Scottish, Irish, and English on her mother's side. Her father was an airline pilot and her mother, a high school guidance counselor...
, who competed as Miss California USA
Miss California USA
Miss California USA is a pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant.The current titleholder is Katie Blair. She succeeded Alyssa Campanella on June 25, 2011 after Campanella was crowned Miss USA 2011....
By number of wins
| States | Titles | Winning years |
|---|---|---|
 Republic of Texas |
9 |
|-
|
California|6
|1959 1966 1975 1983 1992 2011
|-
|
New York|4
|1952 1979 1995 1999
|-
|
Hawaii|4
|1962 1972 1978 1997
|-
|
Illinois|4
|1953 1963 1973 1974
|-
|
Michigan|3
|1990 1993 2010
|-
|
Louisiana|3
|1958 1961 1996
|-
|
South Carolina|3
|1954 1980 1994
|-
|
North Carolina|2
|2005 2009
|-
|
Tennessee|2
|2000 2007
|-
|
Massachusetts|2
|1998 2003
|-
|
Washington, D.C.|2
|1964 2002
|-
|
Ohio|2
|1965 1981
|-
|
Virginia|2
|1969 1970
|-
|
Utah|2
|1957 1960
|-
|
Kentucky|1
|2006
|-
|
Missouri|1
|2004
|-
|
Idaho|1
|1997
|-
|
Kansas|1
|1991
|-
|
New Mexico|1
|1984
|-
|
Arkansas|1
|1982
|-
|
Arizona|1
|1980
|-
|
Minnesota|1
|1976
|-
|
Pennsylvania|1
|1971
|-
|
Washington|1
|1968
|-
|
Alabama|1
|1967
|-
|
Florida|1
|1967
|-
|
Maryland|1
|1957 (Dethroned)
|-
|
Iowa|1
|1956
|-
|
Vermont|1
|1955
|-
|}
Won the Miss Universe Title
Since 1961, the first runner-up takes over the Miss USA title if the reigning Miss USA wins Miss Universe. There was an exception in 1967, when the first-runner up refused the crown and the second runner-up became Miss USA.
Replaced the dethroned Miss USA
Awards
- See Miss USA Special AwardsMiss USA special awardsThe following tables list the winners of the special awards given to candidates at the Miss USA pageant.-Miss Congeniality:The first Miss Congeniality award specific to the Miss USA pageant was given out in 1965. Prior to this year, the award could be won by either a Miss USA or Miss Universe...
The awards most frequently presented at Miss USA are Miss Congeniality and Miss Photogenic.
The Miss Congeniality Award is chosen by the delegates, and recognises those who are the friendliest and make the pageant experience the most enjoyable. In 1952 to 1964, when the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants were concurrent events, the Miss Congeniality Award could be won by a contestant competing either for Miss USA or Miss Universe. In fact, in 1960, there was a tie, with the award going to Miss Burma Myint Myint May and Miss Louisiana USA Rebecca Fletcher. Vermont
Miss Vermont USA
The Miss Vermont USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Vermont in the Miss USA pageant.Vermont is one of the least successful states, but they have produced a Miss USA - Carlene King Johnson in 1955...
has won five Miss Amity awards, two more than any other state.
The Miss Photogenic prize was first awarded 1965 and was chosen by journalists until 1996, when it was chosen by an internet vote for the first time. There has been only one tie in this award's history, in 1980 when it was shared between Jineane Ford
Jineane Ford
Jineane Ford is an American beauty queen and television personality from Arizona who held the title Miss USA 1980.- Career :Ford, who hails from Gilbert, Arizona won the Miss Arizona USA contest in 1979...
of Arizona
Miss Arizona USA
The Miss Arizona USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Arizona in the Miss USA pageant.In 2005 the rights to produce the Miss Arizona USA pageant were given to Casting Crown productions...
and Elizabeth Kim Thomas of Ohio
Miss Ohio USA
The Miss Ohio USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Ohio in the Miss USA pageant.Ohio achieved success in the first decades of the Miss USA competition but has not done as well in recent years...
. The state that has won the most Photogenic awards is Virginia
Miss Virginia USA
The Miss Virginia USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Virginia in the Miss USA pageant.Virginia has been only moderately successful in terms of number of semi-finalists, they have had two Miss USAs. They are one of only three states to have had two Miss...
.
Other awards that have been presented include Best State Costume (1962–1993), Style (1995–2001) and Most Beautiful Eyes (1993). In 1998, a special Distinguished Achievement award was given to Halle Berry
Halle Berry
Halle Berry is an American actress and a former fashion model. Berry received an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and an NAACP Image Award for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and won an Academy Award for Best Actress and was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2001 for her performance in Monster's Ball, becoming...
. Berry was Miss Ohio USA
Miss Ohio USA
The Miss Ohio USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Ohio in the Miss USA pageant.Ohio achieved success in the first decades of the Miss USA competition but has not done as well in recent years...
1986 and placed 1st runner-up to Christy Fichtner
Christy Fichtner
Christiane Crane "Christy" Fichtner is a former Miss USA and first runner-up to . In 2003, she participated in Who Wants to Marry My Dad?.-Early life:...
of Texas
Miss Texas USA
The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant who selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant. In turn, the winner of Miss USA competes for the title of Miss Universe....
. She later went on to become an acclaimed actress and Oscar
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
winner.
Locations
In the first eight years of competition (1952–1959) the Miss USA pageant was held in Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. The competition moved to Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
in 1960 and stayed there until 1971. In 1972 the pageant was held in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, the only time the pageant has been held outside the continental United States. That pageant was rocked by an explosion at the host hotel.
From 1972 onwards the pageant has been held in various locations, generally being held in each location for two to three years.
As of 2010 the pageant has been held in the following states:
- AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
(MobileMobile, AlabamaMobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
1989), CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, (Long BeachLong Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
1952–1959, Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
2004, 2007), FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
(Miami BeachMiami Beach, FloridaMiami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
1960–1971,1997 LakelandLakeland, FloridaLakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
1984–1985, MiamiMiami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
1986), IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
(GaryGary, IndianaGary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known...
2001–2002), KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
(Wichita 1990–1993), LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
(ShreveportShreveport, LouisianaShreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
1997–1998), MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
(Baltimore 2005–2006), MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
(Branson 1999–2000), MississippiMississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
(Biloxi 1979–1982), NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
(Las VegasLas Vegas StripThe Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
2008-2011), New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
(AlbuquerqueAlbuquerque, New MexicoAlbuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
1987), New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
1973, Niagara FallsNiagara Falls, New YorkNiagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
1974–1976), South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
(Charleston 1977–1978), TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
(Knoxville 1983), TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
(El PasoEl Paso, TexasEl Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
1988, South Padre Island 1994–1996, San Antonio 2003).
Special Feature Episodes
Since 2003, a number of delegates have been involved in special episodes of regular programs broadcast by NBC. From 2003–2005, six delegates each year were chosen to participate in a special Miss USA edition of Fear FactorFear Factor
Fear Factor is an American stunt/dare reality game show. The original Dutch version was called Now or Neverland. When Endemol USA and NBC adapted it to the American market in 2001, they changed the name to Fear Factor. The show pits contestants against each other in a variety of stunts for a...
, with the victorious contestant taking the title 'Miss Fear Factor USA' and a prize of $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
50,000 ($25,000 of which was to be donated to a charity of the winners choice). These were broadcast immediately prior to the live pageant broadcast.
In 2006, Chelsea Cooley
Chelsea Cooley
Chelsea Cooley is a beauty queen from Charlotte, North Carolina who has competed in the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and who has held the Miss USA 2005 title....
and twenty-six delegates participated as briefcase models in a Miss USA special of Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal (US game show)
Deal or No Deal is the American version of the international game show of Dutch origin of the same name. The show was hosted by Howie Mandel, and premiered on December 19, 2005, on National Broadcasting Company . The hour-long show typically aired at least twice a week during its run, and included...
.
In 2010, 10 Miss USA and Miss Universe winners will compete for charity on a special "Last Beauty Standing" edition of Minute to Win It
Minute to Win It
Minute to Win It is an American prime time game show on NBC hosted by Guy Fieri. Contestants take part in a series of 60-second challenges that use objects that are commonly available around the house....
.
Reality television
Many Miss USA and Miss Teen USA delegates have participated in reality televisionReality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
shows and other television game shows. Well known delegates who later competed in reality shows are Danni Boatwright
Danni Boatwright
Danni Boatwright , a beauty queen and model from Kansas, won $1,000,000 on Survivor: Guatemala, the eleventh season of the reality television show Survivor...
, winner of Survivor: Guatemala
Survivor: Guatemala
Survivor: Guatemala — The Maya Empire, commonly referred to as Survivor: Guatemala, is the eleventh season of the American CBS competitive reality television series Survivor. The season was filmed in the Yaxhá-Nakúm-Naranjo National Park near the more popular Tikal National Park, located in...
, Nicole O'Brian
Nicole O'Brian
Claudia Nicole O'Brian is a former beauty queen and Reality TV show contestant from Friendswood, Texas who has competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA pageants....
and Christie Lee Woods
Christie Lee Woods
Christie Lee Woods is an American model, actress and the first woman from Texas to capture the Miss Teen USA crown ....
of The Amazing Race 5
The Amazing Race 5
The Amazing Race 5 is the fifth installment of the American reality television show The Amazing Race. The Amazing Race 5 featured 11 teams of two, with a pre-existing relationship, in a race around the world....
, Jennifer Murphy
Jennifer Murphy
Jennifer Murphy is an actress,beauty queen, reality television contestant and business woman.Murphy grew up in Medford, southern Oregon, with her eleven siblings...
of The Apprentice 4 and Tori Fiorenza of The Challenge: Cutthroat
The Challenge: Cutthroat
The Challenge: Cutthroat is the twentieth season of the MTV reality television game show, The Challenge, and follows Fresh Meat II. Filmed in Prague, Czech Republic, Cutthroat features a first-ever three-team format, with cast members from The Real World, Road Rules, Fresh Meat, Fresh Meat II and...
.
In 2007 Pageant Place, a reality television show featuring Rachel Smith
Rachel Smith
Rachel Renee Smith is an American beauty queen and television personality from Clarksville, Tennessee, who won the Miss USA pageant in 2007 and who previously had competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant.-Early life:...
, Riyo Mori
Riyo Mori
is a Japanese dance instructor and model who won the Miss Universe 2007 title in May 2007.-Early life:...
, Hilary Cruz
Hilary Cruz
Hilary Cruz is a beauty queen from Louisville, Colorado who won Miss Teen USA in August of 2007.In 2007, Cruz represented Colorado in the Miss Teen USA 2007 pageant held in Pasadena, California in August 2007. During the live television broadcast on August 24, 2007, Cruz was crowned Miss Teen USA...
, Katie Blair
Katie Blair
Katherine Amanda Blair is an American model, beauty queen, and television personality from Billings, Montana, who held the Miss Teen USA 2006 and Miss California USA 2011 title. She was the first person from Montana to win a major pageant title...
and Tara Conner
Tara Conner
Tara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,...
aired on MTV.
On June 19th, 2011, Bravo Television's Andy Cohen co-hosted the event's 60th anniversary live in Las Vegas with E! News and Fashion Police's Giuliana Rancic.
See also
- Miss USA delegates
- List of United States representatives at Miss World