Norma Smallwood
Encyclopedia
Norma Descygne Smallwood (May 12, 1909 – May 8, 1966) captured first place in both the bather's review and the evening gown contest and the following evening was crowned Miss America
1926.
Smallwood was a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma
who earned the Miss Tulsa title and graduated from high school at age 16. She was a student at the Oklahoma College for Women when she competed for Miss America. Her hobbies included swimming, dancing, horseback riding and served as captain of her college hockey team. Smallwood is noted as being the first Native American
(Cherokee
) to win the crown.
She was the daughter of Edward Smallwood and Mahalia Angela (Robinette) Smallwood.
She was married twice. Her first marriage, to Thomas Gilcrease
(September 3, 1928–October 3, 1933) produced a daughter, Des Cygne L'Amour Gilcrease, who was born on June 12, 1929, in Tulsa. The marriage ended in divorce on May 2, 1934, and the father was awarded sole custody of their daughter. Her second husband was George H. Bruce, president of Aladdin Petroleum Corporation.
She died on May 8, 1966, in Wichita, Kansas
, aged 56.
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...
1926.
Smallwood was a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
who earned the Miss Tulsa title and graduated from high school at age 16. She was a student at the Oklahoma College for Women when she competed for Miss America. Her hobbies included swimming, dancing, horseback riding and served as captain of her college hockey team. Smallwood is noted as being the first Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
(Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
) to win the crown.
She was the daughter of Edward Smallwood and Mahalia Angela (Robinette) Smallwood.
She was married twice. Her first marriage, to Thomas Gilcrease
Thomas Gilcrease
William Thomas Gilcrease was an American oilman, art collector and philanthropist. During his lifetime, Gilcrease collected more than 10,000 artworks, 250,000 Native American artifacts and 100,000 rare books and documents, including the only surviving certified copy of the Declaration of...
(September 3, 1928–October 3, 1933) produced a daughter, Des Cygne L'Amour Gilcrease, who was born on June 12, 1929, in Tulsa. The marriage ended in divorce on May 2, 1934, and the father was awarded sole custody of their daughter. Her second husband was George H. Bruce, president of Aladdin Petroleum Corporation.
She died on May 8, 1966, in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
, aged 56.