Miss Mississippi Explained

Miss Mississippi
Formation:	1934
Type:	Beauty pageant
Headquarters:	Vicksburg
Location:	Mississippi
Membership:	Miss America
Language:	English
Website:	Official website

Miss Mississippi is a scholarship pageant and a preliminary of Miss America. The contest began in 1934, has been held in Vicksburg since 1958, and provides more money than any other scholarship pageant in the Miss America Organization.

Four Miss Mississippis have won the Miss America crown: Mary Ann Mobley (1959), Lynda Lee Mead (1960), Cheryl Prewitt (1980), and Susan Akin (1986).

The current titleholder is Becky Williams of Purvis, who was crowned Miss Mississippi 2024 on June 8, 2024 at the Vicksburg Convention Center in Vicksburg, Mississippi. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2025.

Results summary

The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Mississippi titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.

Placements

• Miss Americas: Mary Ann Mobley (1959), Lynda Lee Mead (1960), Cheryl Prewitt (1980), Susan Akin (1986)
• 1st runners-up: Katherine Wright (1949), Patricia Puckett (1966), Joan Myers (1968), Hannah Roberts (2016)
• 2nd runners-up: Donna Pope (1981) (tie), Dianne Evans (1983), Kathy Manning (1985), Myra Barginear (1998)
• 3rd runners-up: Christine McClamroch (1971), Wanda Geddie (1984), Christy May (2001), Taryn Foshee (2007)
• 4th runners-up: Suzanne Dugger (1954), Toni Seawright (1988), Mary Allison Hurdle (1992), Laura Lee Lewis (2017)
• Top 10: Charlotte Ann Carroll (1963), Karen Hopson (1982), Kimberly McGuffee (1987), Carla Haag (1989), Rebecca Blouin (1995), Monica Louwerens (1996), Kari Litton (1997), Jennifer Adcock (2003), Jasmine Murray (2015)
• Top 15: Laurice McFarland (1925), Jessie Morgan (1952), Chelsea Rick (2014)
• Top 16: Kimberly Morgan (2008)
• Top 18: Dorothy Ely (1933)
• Top 20: Becky Pruett (2002)

Awards

Preliminary awards

• Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness: Patricia Puckett (1966), Cheri Brown (1979) (tie), Cheryl Prewitt (1980), Donna Pope (1981), Karen Hopson (1982), Wanda Geddie (1984), Kathy Manning (1985), Susan Akin (1986), Carla Haag (1989), Beth Howell (1991), Christy May (2001), Jennifer Adcock (2003), Christine Kozlowski (2009), Chelsea Rick (2014), Vivian O'Neal (2024)
• Preliminary Talent: Mary Ann Mobley (1959), Charlotte Ann Carroll (1963), Dianne Evans (1983), Lenena Holder (1994), Becky Pruett (2002)

Non-finalist awards

• Non-finalist Talent: Lennie Nobles (1946), Patricia McRaney (1961), Robbie Robertson (1967), Lenena Holder (1994), Heather Soriano (2000), Sarah Beth James (2011), Marie Wicks (2013)

Other awards

• Miss Congeniality: Doris Coggins (1939), Dorothy Fox (1942)
• Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship: Myra Barginear (1998)
• Jean Bartel Social Impact Initiative Winner: Emmie Perkins (2023)
• Jean Bartel Social Impact Initiative Finalist: Holly Brand (2022)
• Louanne Gamba Instrumental Award: Hannah Roberts (2016)
• Quality of Life Award 2nd runners-up: Becky Pruett (2002), Asya Branch (2019)
• Quality of Life Award Finalists: Jasmine Murray (2015), Hannah Roberts (2016), Laura Lee Lewis (2017), Anne Elizabeth Buys (2018)
• Rembrandt Mentor Award: Monica Louwerens (1996)
• STEM Scholarship Award Winners: Chelsea Rick (2014), Hannah Roberts (2016)

Winners

Year	Name	Hometown	Age	Local Title	Miss America Talent	Placement at Miss America	Special scholarships at Miss America	Notes
2024	Becky Williams^[1]	Purvis	22	Miss Capital City	Dance	TBA	TBA
2023	Vivian O'Neal^[2]	Hattiesburg	25	Miss Pine Belt	Dance		Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award ^[3]
2022	Emmie Perkins^[4]	Hattiesburg	21	Miss Mississippi State University	Vocal		Jean Bartel Social Impact Initiative Scholarship
2021	Holly Brand^[5]	Meridian	21	Miss Golden Triangle	Vocal		Jean Bartel Social Impact Initiative Finalist Non-Finalist Talent Award	Previously Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen 2017^[6] Semi-finalist on Season 23 of The Voice ^[7]
2019–20	Mary Margaret Hyer^[8]	Hattiesburg	23	Miss Riverbend	Classical Vocal, "Queen of the Night aria" from The Magic Flute
2018	Asya Branch^[9]	Booneville	20	Miss Tupelo	Vocal, "The Impossible Dream" from Man of La Mancha		Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up	Later Miss Mississippi USA 2020^[10] Later Miss USA 2020^[11] Top 21 at Miss Universe 2020 pageant
2017	Anne Elizabeth Buys^[12] ^[13]	Vicksburg	21	Miss Vicksburg	Ballet en pointe, "Viva" by Bond		Quality of Life Award Finalist^[14]	Previously Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen 2013^[15] Cousin is married to Miss Mississippi 2009, Anna Tadlock^[16] Later 4th runner-up at Miss Mississippi USA 2021^[17]
2016	Laura Lee Lewis^[18]	Brookhaven	23	Miss Dixie	Vocal, "A Piece of Sky" from Yentl	4th runner-up^[19]	Quality of Life Award Finalist^[20]	Previously Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen 2009^[21] 3rd runner-up at National Sweetheart 2014 pageant Duke of Edinburgh's Award gold medalist
2015	Hannah Roberts^[22]	Mount Olive	22	Miss University of Southern Mississippi	Classical Violin, "Zapateado, No. 2, Opus 23"	1st runner-up	Louanne Gamba Instrumentalist Scholarship Quality of Life Award Finalist STEM Scholarship Award	Previously Distinguished Young Woman of Mississippi 2011 2nd runner-up at Distinguished Young Woman of America 2011 competition^[23]
2014	Jasmine Murray^[24]	Columbus	22	Miss Riverland	Vocal, "Something's Got a Hold on Me"	Top 10	Quality of Life Award Finalist	Previously Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen 2007^[25] Top 10 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2008 pageant American Idol Season 8 Finalist^[26] 3rd African American to be crowned Miss Mississippi
2013	Chelsea Rick	Fulton	23	Miss Amory Railroad Festival	Vocal, "Can't Help Lovin' That Man"	Top 15	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award STEM Scholarship Award
2012	Marie Wicks	Ocean Springs	22	Miss Dixie	Piano, "Moonlight Sonata 3rd Movement"		Non-finalist Talent Award
2011	Mary Margaret Roark^[27]	Cleveland	20	Miss North Central Mississippi	Piano, "Nostradamus" by Tonci Huljic
2010	Sarah Beth James	Madison	20	Miss Metro Jackson	Piano, "Piano Fantasy" by William Joseph		Non-finalist Talent Award
2009	Anna Tadlock	McCool	23	Miss New South	Vocal, "A New Life" from Jekyll & Hyde			Married cousin of Miss Mississippi 2017, Anne Elizabeth Buys
2008	Christine Kozlowski	D'Iberville	19	Miss Gulf Coast	Jazz Dance		Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award	First Latina to be crowned Miss Mississippi^[28]
2007	Kimberly Morgan^[29]	Oxford	24	Miss Heritage	Vocal, "God Bless the Child"	Top 16		Second African American to be crowned Miss Mississippi
2006	Taryn Foshee	Clinton	21	Miss Byram Tri County	Piano, "El Cumbanchero" by Rafael Hernández Marín	3rd runner-up
2005	Kristian Dambrino	Grenada	20	Miss Grenada County	Original Vocal & Piano Composition, "Pearlington's Prayer"
2004	Jalin Wood	Waynesboro	23	Miss Metro Jackson	Piano, "Cumana"			Later Miss Mississippi USA 2007
2003	Allison Kellogg	Madison	22	Miss Madison County	Ballet en Pointe, "The Firebird"		Quality of Life finalist	Previously Mississippi's Junior Miss 1999Top 8
2002	Jennifer Adcock	Hattiesburg	22	Miss West Central Mississippi	Piano, Rhapsody in Blue	Top 10	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award	Previously Mississippi's Junior Miss 1998 Later Miss Mississippi USA 2005 Top 10 at Miss USA 2005 pageant
2001	Becky Pruett	Laurel	22	Miss Deep South	Vocal, "Whatever Lola Wants"	Top 20	Preliminary Talent Award Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up
2000	Christy May	Pontotoc	24	Miss Pontotoc	Piano, "Theme from The Apartment"	3rd runner-up	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
1999	Heather Soriano	Philadelphia	22	Miss East Central Mississippi	Vocal / Dance, "Trouble" from Smokey Joe's Cafe		Non-finalist Talent Award	Later Miss Mississippi USA 2002
1998	Melinda King	Waynesboro	22	Miss Hattiesburg	Vocal, "I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)"
1997	Myra Barginear	Grenada	23	Miss West Central	Classical Vocal. "Una Voce Poco Fa"' from The Barber of Seville	2nd runner-up	Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship
1996	Kari Litton	Pontotoc	23	Miss New South	Vocal, "Cry"	Top 10
1995	Monica Louwerens	Greenville	21	Miss Magnolia	Vocal, "Vanilla Ice Cream" from She Loves Me	Top 10	Rembrandt Award for Mentorship
1994	Rebecca Blouin	Batesville	23	Miss Dixieland	Classical Vocal, "Quando me'n vò"	Top 10
1993	Lenena Holder	Booneville	24	Miss Magnolia	Classical Vocal, "Un Bel Di" from Madama Butterfly		Non-finalist Talent Award Preliminary Talent Award
1992	Kandace Williams	Tupelo	23	Miss Tupelo	Vocal, "Ain't It Good" from Children of Eden
1991	Mary Allison Hurdle	Holly Springs	24	Miss DeSoto County	Classical Vocal, "Chi Il Bel Sogno di Doretta" from La rondine	4th runner-up
1990	Beth Howell	Clinton	21	Miss Dixie	Magic Act		Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award	Previously Mississippi's Junior Miss 1987
1989	Cherry Busby	Tupelo	19	Miss Tupelo	Vocal, "My Funny Valentine"
1988	Carla Haag	Hattiesburg	23	Miss Dixie	Vocal Medley, "Here's to the Band" & "Alexander's Ragtime Band"	Top 10	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award	Previously Mississippi's Junior Miss 1983
1987		Moss Point	23	Miss Mississippi University for Women	Popular Vocal, "I'm Going All the Way"	4th runner-up		First African American to be crowned Miss Mississippi^[30]
1986	Kimberly McGuffee	Mendenhall	23	Miss Lamar County	Popular Vocal, "Inseparable"	Top 10
1985	Nan Sumrall	Hattiesburg		Miss Hattiesburg		colspan=3
							Later known as Nan Kelley, host on Great American Country TV
	Susan Akin	Meridian	21	Miss University	Vocal, "You're My World"	Winner	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
1984	Kathy Manning	Drew	22	Miss University of Mississippi	Country Vocal, "Crazy"	2nd runner-up	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award	Later Miss Mississippi USA 1987 Top 10 at Miss USA 1987 pageant Katharine Clare Manning Loeb died at 59 on December 23, 2021, of COVID-19 related illness in Tennessee.
1983	Wanda Geddie	Hattiesburg	24	Miss William Carey College	Vocal, "More Than You Know"	3rd runner-up	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
1982	Dianne Evans	Taylorsville	22		Vocal, "Stormy Weather"	2nd runner-up	Preliminary Talent Award
1981	Karen Hopson	Vicksburg	21	Miss Vicksburg	Character Ballet en Pointe, "Overture" from Annie	Top 10	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
1980	Donna Pope	McNeil	24	Miss Picayune	Ballet, "Overture" from Oklahoma!	2nd runner-up (tie)	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
1979	Sherye Simmons	Jackson				colspan=3
	Cheryl Prewitt	Ackerman	22	Miss Starkville	Vocal / Piano, "Don't Cry Out Loud"	Winner	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
1978	Cheri Brown	Meridian	21	Miss Oxford	Popular Vocal, "Evergreen"		Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award (tie)	Later Miss Mississippi USA 1980
1977	Mary Donnelly	Oxford	19	Miss University	Vocal, "The Good Songs"			Wife of former Miss America Chairman of the Board, Sam Haskell
1976	Bobbye Wood	Hattiesburg	19	Miss William Carey College	Vocal, "Starting Here, Starting Now"
1975	Mollie Magee	Mendenhall	19	Miss University of Southern Mississippi	Popular Vocal, "Lights on the Hill"			Contestant at Miss Teenage America 1972 pageant
1974	Diane Bounds	Gulfport	21	Miss Mississippi State University	Popular Vocal, "When You Smile"
1973	Kathleen Coole		19	Miss Mississippi State College for Women	Vocal Medley, "Everything's Alright" & "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar
1972	Glenda Meadows	Richton	23	Miss Richton	Vocal Medley, "Am I Blue?" & "I'd Rather Be Blue"
1971	Jennifer Blair	Tupelo	21	Miss Mississippi State University	Popular Vocal, "I Wish You Love"
1970	Christine McClamroch	Columbus	21	Miss Columbus	Vocal Medley, "Cabaret," "Try to Remember," & "You'll Never Walk Alone"	3rd runner-up
1969	Jane Foshee	Hattiesburg	19	Miss Hattiesburg	Vocal / Soft Shoe Dance, "Makin' Whoopee"			Previously Mississippi's Junior Miss 1967
1968	Mary Mills	McComb	19	Miss University of Southern Mississippi	Piano Comedy Presentation, "Habanera" & "La Poupée Valsante" by Fritz Kreisler
1967	Joan Myers	Forest	20	Miss Mississippi College	Speech & Display of Original Art, "Doctor Zhivago"	1st runner-up
1966	Robbie Robertson	Hattiesburg	20	Miss University of Southern Mississippi	Dramatic Reading, "Adam Bede" by George Eliot		Non-finalist Talent Award
1965	Patricia Puckett	Columbus	20	Miss Columbus	Vocal, "I Ain't Down Yet" from The Unsinkable Molly Brown	1st runner-up	Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award	Featured performer on the Miss America 1967 telecast
1964	Judy Simono	Vicksburg	20	Miss Vicksburg	Classical Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty by Tchaikovsky
1963	Jan Nave	McComb		Miss Mississippi State College for Women	Contemporary Dance
1962	Charlotte Ann Carroll	Walthall	19	Miss Eupora	Comedy Song & Dance Routine, "Olive Oyl"	Top 10	Preliminary Talent Award
1961	Annice Jernigan	New Albany	21	Miss University of Mississippi	Piano Medley
1960	Patricia McRaney	McComb	20	Miss McComb	Speech & Art Presentation		Non-finalist Talent Award
1959	Betty Porter	Brookhaven				colspan=3
	Lynda Lee Mead	Natchez	20	Miss University	Original Dramatic Act, "Schizophrenia"	Winner
1958	Margie Wilson	Itta Bena				colspan=3
	Mary Ann Mobley	Brandon	21		Vocal Medley & Dance, "Un Bel Di" & "There'll Be Some Changes Made"	Winner	Preliminary Talent Award
1957	Mary Allen	Yazoo City			Dance & Art Presentation
1956	Martha Tisdale	Hattiesburg			Drama
1955	Carolyn Cochran	Lucedale			Dramatic Monologue
1954	Celeste Luckett	Clarksdale			Drama
1953	Suzanne Dugger	Picayune			Vocal Medley & Dance, "Bill" & "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey"	4th runner-up
1952	Dora Livingston	Yazoo City
1951	Jessie Morgan	Newton			Ballet	Top 15
1950	Annie Roberts	Hattiesburg
1949	Katherine Wright	Pascagoula			Dramatic Sketch, "Hagar"	1st runner-up
1948	Virginia Hollingsworth	Kosciusko
1947	Kitty Bailey	Oxford			Painting
1946	Lennie Nobles	Greenwood			Dance		Non-finalist Talent Award & Best Dancer Award	Later known as Josephine Nobles Giacketti, she died at 92 in Albertson, N.Y. on March 2, 2019.
1945	Harriet Carr	Marks			Stand-up Comedy
1944	Sarah Topp	Tupelo
1943	Arminta Scott	Corinth
1942	Dorothy Fox	Columbus					Miss Congeniality
1941	Madeline Smith^[31]	Winona
1940	Carolyn Simon	Greenville
1939	Doris Coggins	Baldwyn					Miss Congeniality
1938	Frances Sykes	Aberdeen
1937	Virginia Riley	West Point
1936	Rachel Smith	Booneville
1935	LeFrance Boyett	Sumner
1934	Madolyn Hardy	Belzoni				No national pageant was held^[32]
1933	Dorothy Ely		24			Top 18
1932	No national pageants were held
1931
1930
1929
1928
1927	Phyllis Hunt			Miss Biloxi
1926	Mabel Riley
1925	Laurice McFarland			Miss Biloxi		Top 15
1924	Vivian Ruth Shaddinger			Miss Biloxi
	Mabel Batson			Miss Jackson
1923	No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant^[33] ^[34] ^[35]
1922
1921

External links

• Miss Mississippi official website

Notes and References

1. https://www.wdam.com/2024/06/09/purvis-native-crowned-91st-miss-mississippi/ Purvis native crowned 91st Miss Mississippi
2. https://www.wdam.com/2023/06/11/miss-pine-belt-crowned-2023-miss-mississippi/ Miss Pine Belt crowned 2023 Miss Mississippi
3. https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyle-buzz/miss-mississippi-wins-fitness-preliminary-competition-wednesday-night/ar-AA1mMDH3 Miss Mississippi wins Fitness Preliminary Competition Wednesday night
4. https://www.magnoliastatelive.com/2022/06/27/its-surreal-miss-mississippi-emmie-perkins-reflects-on-competition-week-win/ ‘It’s surreal’: Miss Mississippi Emmie Perkins reflects on competition week, win
5. Web site: Szymanowska. Gabriela. Miss Mississippi 2021: Miss Golden Triangle Holly Brand crowned winner. 2021-06-28. The Clarion-Ledger. en-US.
6. Web site: Holly Brand chosen Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen. 2021-06-28. www.wtok.com. May 2017 . en.
7. https://www.vicksburgpost.com/2023/05/15/the-road-ends-for-former-miss-mississippi-holly-brand-on-the-voice/ The road ends for former Miss Mississippi Holly Brand on The Voice
8. News: Miss Mississippi 2019: Mary Margaret Hyer of Hattiesburg wins crown . June 22, 2019 . Clarion Ledger.
9. Web site: Asya Branch, Miss Tupelo, crowned Miss Mississippi . Clarion Ledger . June 23, 2018.
10. Web site: Former Miss Mississippi Asya Branch wins Miss Mississippi USA 2020. October 27, 2019. WAPT. McWilliams. Adam.
11. Web site: Mississippi's Asya Branch Wins Miss USA 2020. November 10, 2020. People. DeSantis. Rachel.
12. http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2017/06/25/miss-vicksburg-anne-elizabeth-buys-crowned-miss-mississippi/426538001/ Miss Vicksburg Anne Elizabeth Buys crowned Miss Mississippi
13. Web site: Terri Cowart . Frazier . Buys named Miss Mississippi . The Vicksburg Post . June 24, 2017.
14. Web site: Terry Cowart . Frazier . Miss Mississippi's platform recognized at Miss America pageant. The Vicksburg Post. August 31, 2017.
15. Web site: Therese . Apel . Miss Mississippi finds inspiration in family, faith . The Clarion-Ledger . June 25, 2017. Buys then went on to win the crown of Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen in 2013,....
16. Web site: Therese . Apel . Miss Mississippi finds inspiration in family, faith . The Vicksburg Post . June 25, 2017.
17. Web site: Branch focusing on Miss Universe as she crowns next Miss Mississippi USA. Vicksburg Post. Cowart Frazier, Terri. March 12, 2021. March 27, 2021.
18. Web site: 3 time runner-up from Brookhaven wins Miss Mississippi crown . 26 June 2016. Washington Times.
19. Web site: Miss America 2017 is: Miss Arkansas Savvy Shields. USATODAY. September 11, 2016.
20. Web site: Miss America 2017 will be one of these 52 contestants . AL.com . September 6, 2016.
21. Web site: Donna . Campbell . Laura Lee Lewis' reign comes to an end . The Daily Leader . June 22, 2017 . She was crowned Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen in 2009....
22. News: Jacob . Threadgill . . . . Miss USM crowned Miss Mississippi . June 28, 2015 . June 28, 2015.
23. Web site: Be Distinguished: Get to Know Hannah Roberts - Distinguished Young Woman of Mississippi for 2011 . 2015-06-30 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150712225610/http://bedistinguished.blogspot.com/2012/01/get-to-know-hannah-roberts.html . 2015-07-12 .
24. Web site: 12:51 p.m. CDT July 13, 2014 . Jasmine Murray crowned Miss Mississippi . Clarionledger.com . 2014-07-13 . 2016-05-19.
25. News: A star in the making? 3 Miss. cities happily lay claim to 'Idol' contestant Murray. Clarion Ledger. 2009-02-24. Billy. Watkins.
26. News: Target Market News. Black TV Ratings for Week of March 16–22. 2009-05-21. 2018-02-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20090331111439/http://www.targetmarketnews.com/storyid03250903.htm. 2009-03-31. dead.
27. News: Mary Margaret Roark reigns in state pageant. Clarion Ledger. July 2, 2011.
28. http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080628/FEAT0701/80628016&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL
29. Web site: Alcorn State Alumna Kimberly Morgan Becomes Miss Mississippi 2007 . August 2, 2007 . Weekly Bulletin Online . Alcorn State University . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081120012949/http://www.alcorn.edu/Bulletin/20070802/spotlight.htm . November 20, 2008.
30. News: Black Is Miss Mississippi . . July 20, 1987.
31. News: Miss Delaware to Give Atlantic City Beauties Run for U. S. Honors . The Morning News . . September 4, 1941.
32. Web site: Miss America Timeline: 1901–1950 . . 2019-10-12 . 2017-02-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170215160548/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/missamerica/timeline/timeline2.html . dead .
33. Web site: 1923 Candidates . Miss America . 28 June 2018 .
34. Web site: 1922 Candidates . Miss America . 28 June 2018 .
35. Web site: 1921 Candidates . Miss America . 28 June 2018 .