Know Your Miss America Facts, Not Just Your Pageant Dresses: Part 2

We hope you've memorized last week’s facts and tidbits for your next question and answer portion. While we can’t imagine a world where the Miss America Pageant isn't popular, it’s great to pick up our history of pageants with the renewal of pageantry passion!

1935

• The pageant was revived by Lenora Slaughter. At this time the nation was swept in the Hollywood fever and many thought the winners should win Hollywood screen tests. Without that even being offered many talent scouts attended the pageants to find new potential stars.

1938

• Talent portion of the pageant became mandatory. This was to show these women were more than just pretty face and a beautiful body. It was thought that the winner of this pageant should win a $5000 college scholarship.

1945

• Miss New York, Bess Myerson, won the first $5000 scholarship. She was also the first Jewish woman to be named Miss America.

1948

• Miss America Director, Lenora Slaughter, made is mandatory that winners be crowned in their beauty pageant gowns rather than bathing suits. The public was unhappy but they went ahead with it– most likely because the dresses were just too pretty to not show off!

1951

• Miss World Pageant was started in Britain.

1952

• Miss Universe began and is still an ongoing pageant today. 29 nations took part in the first Miss Universe pageant.

Over the years the pageant has grown with bigger prizes, bigger sums of money involves, charities, brands, and other media outlets are more involved in the Miss America and Miss Universe pageants. Pageants have really grown over the years to not just be about beauty but also about the brains.