| Type: | Beauty pageant |
| Headquarters: | Rochester, New York |
| Language: | English |
| Leader Title: | President |
| Leader Name: | Tony Ilacqua |
| Miss United States | |
| Location: | United States |
Miss United States is a pageant held in the United States for unmarried women between the ages of 20 and 29. The pageant includes women selected to represent all 50 states, District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Miss United States pageant's mission is to "celebrate intelligent women of all walks of life."[1] The Miss United States pageant includes the following competition segments: Private Interview (a 3-minute private interview with judges about the delegate's career, academic, and charitable accomplishments), Evening Gown (a runway walk in formalwear to demonstrate the delegate's poise), Swimsuit (a runway walk in swimwear to display the delegate's physical fitness and on-stage confidence), and Personal Platform Promise (a 60-second 'pitch' of the delegate's chosen charitable cause followed by an onstage question).[2] All four competition segments are worth 25% of the delegate's overall score.
Miss United States is part of the pageant system known as Mrs. United States Pageant, Inc. (DBA United States National Pageants)[3] which has eight divisions: Little Miss United States, Miss Pre-Teen United States, Miss Jr. Teen United States, Miss Teen United States, Miss United States, Ms. United States, Ms. Woman United States, and Mrs. United States. United States National Pageants is the official and exclusive owner of the "Miss United States" trademark. In 2016, Miss United States organizers held the national pageant in Las Vegas, where it initially was held, for a 30th anniversary celebration.
The reigning Miss United States is Addison Grace Hadley of Tchula, Mississippi, who was crowned on October 22, 2023, in Memphis, Tennessee.[4] [5] [6]
Notable recent Miss United States titleholders include Miss United States 2013 Candiace Dillard, who is a reality television personality on Bravo's Real Housewives of Potomac; Miss United States 2022 Lily K. Donaldson, who was the first Miss United States to visit all 50 states during her reign;[7] and Miss United States 2014 Elizabeth Safrit, who also represented the United States at Miss World 2014 in London, England on December 14, 2014, where she placed as 2nd runner-up and earned the title of Continental Queen of Beauty of the Americas.
| Year | Miss United States | State Represented | Host City | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Addison Grace Hadley | Tennessee | Memphis, Tennessee | Hadley was previously Miss Mississippi US.[8] | |
| 2022 | Lily K. Donaldson | New York | Memphis, Tennessee | Donaldson was previously Miss Tennessee US 2021.[9] She is the first Miss United States to visit all 50 states during her reign. | |
| 2021 | Samantha Keene Anderson | Arizona | Las Vegas, Nevada | Anderson also held the following pageant titles: Miss Teen Arizona US 2014, Miss Vermont US 2018, Miss Virginia US 2019, Miss Arizona US 2021. | |
| 2020 | Tiffany Ann Rea | California | Palm Beach, Florida | Rea also held the title of Miss Washington USA 2024.[10] | |
| 2019 | Alexia Robinson | Missouri | Las Vegas, Nevada | ||
| 2018 | Andromeda Peters | Virginia | Orlando, Florida | ||
| 2017 | Rachael Todd | Florida | Orlando, Florida | Todd also held the title of Miss Florida 2010 (Miss America system).[11] | |
| 2016 | Alayah Benavidez | Texas | Las Vegas, Nevada | ||
| 2015 | Summer Priester | South Carolina | Washington, District of Columbia | ||
| 2014 | Elizabeth Safrit | North Carolina | Washington, District of Columbia | Miss World 2014 - 2nd Runner-up *Miss Multimedia *Top 5 Performing Talent *Top 19 Interview Scores | |
| 2013 | Candiace Dillard | District of Columbia | Washington, District of Columbia | Previously appeared on The Real Housewives of Potomac | |
| 2012 | Whitney Miller | Texas | Washington, District of Columbia | ||
| 2011 | Ashley Smith | Virginia | Las Vegas, Nevada | ||
| 2010 | Jessica Black | Georgia | Las Vegas, Nevada | ||
| 2009 | Erin Grizzle | Georgia | Las Vegas, Nevada | ||
| 2008 | Brittany Williams | Nevada | Las Vegas, Nevada | ||
| 2007 | Ashley Kazian [12] [13] | South Carolina | Raleigh, North Carolina | ||
| 2006 | Shannon Haggard | North Carolina | Raleigh, North Carolina | ||
| 2005 | Nicole Falsone | Arizona | Los Angeles, California | ||
| 2004 | Brandy Baham | Louisiana | Houston, Texas | ||
| 2003 | Lacie Lybrand | South Carolina | New York City | ||
| 2001 | Starla Smith[14] | Alabama | New York City | Smith was also Miss Teen United States 2000.[15] This is the first Miss United States pageant held by the current owners, Mrs. United States Pageant, Inc., and followed the release of the 2000 film Miss Congeniality. | |
| Organizers of the pageant that chooses the U.S. representative to Miss World used the title "Miss United States" from 1958 to 1961 and the American contestant sent to Miss Universe was known as "Miss United States of America" from 1952 to 1962. From 1962 to 1999, the Miss Universe organization held the trademark to "Miss United States", but did not hold a "Miss United States" pageant, instead calling their representative to Miss Universe "Miss USA". | |||||
| 1940* | Barbara Dean[16] | unknown | unknown | ||
| 1939* | Hilda Williams[17] [18] | Georgia | Virginia Beach, Virginia | ||
| 1938* | unknown | unknown | unknown | Several newspaper articles say that R.H. Thompson, promoter of the Miss United States 1937 pageant, would hold another Miss United States pageant along with a Miss Universe pageant during Labor Day weekend 1938,[19] [20] whether these pageants were actually held is unknown. One source says the pageant is to take place in Biloxi, and another says Thompson plans to hold the 1938 pageant in Miami, instead. | |
| 1937* | Margaret Smith[21] | Tennessee | Biloxi, Mississippi | Women from 16 states competed at a Miss United States pageant held in Biloxi, Mississippi in September 1937; the contestants competed in a pajama parade, bathing suit parade, and talent contest, and Mississippi senator Pat Harrison crowned the winner.[22] Smith received a crown, diamond-encrusted watch, and a trip to Hollywood as prizes. The pageant was held by promoter R.H. Thompson.[23] | |
| 1936* | unknown | unknown | Idaho Falls, Idaho | The Post Register noted in an August 1936 article that "Miss United States" would be selected at an American Legion conference the following day.[24] | |
| 1935 | Louise Lyman[25] | New York | appointed | Lyman (originally from New York) was appointed to be the United States representative to Miss Universe (International Pageant of Pulchritude) after she participated in Miss Europe 1934 as Miss Atlantique. | |
| 1934* | unknown | unknown | Miami | The Worcester Democrat noted in an August 1934 article that "Miss United States" would be selected at the national American Legion conference to be held in October 1934 in Miami.[26] | |
| 1933* | Gene Handley[27] | Texas | Big Spring, Texas | Miss United States and Miss West Texas were named in a 1933 revue held by the Big Spring Chamber of Commerce with a theme of "an imaginary trip to Mars".[28] Handley is named in one source as the daughter of the pageant organizer, Mrs. Lee Weathers. | |
| 1932 | Helen Cant[29] | New York | Buffalo, New York | Held as part of the International Pageant of Pulchritude. Cant was selected represent the U.S. at Miss Universe 1932 which was held in Spa, Belgium.[30] | |
| 1931 | Ann Lee Patterson[31] | Kentucky | Galveston, Texas | Held as part of the International Pageant of Pulchritude. Patterson was crowned as Miss Northern Kentucky. | |
| 1930 | Dorothy Dell Goff[32] [33] | Louisiana | Galveston, Texas | Held as part of the International Pageant of Pulchritude. Goff was crowned as Miss New Orleans. | |
| 1929 | Irene Ahlberg[34] | New York | Galveston, Texas | Held as part of the International Pageant of Pulchritude. Ahlberg was crowned as Miss Greater New York. | |
| 1928 | Ella Van Hueson[35] | Illinois | Galveston, Texas | Held as part of the International Pageant of Pulchritude. Hueson was crowned as Miss Chicago. | |
| 1927 | Dorothy Britton[36] | New York | Galveston, Texas | Held as part of the International Pageant of Pulchritude. Britton was crowned as Miss New York. | |
| 1926 | Catherine Moylan[37] | Texas | Galveston, Texas | Held as part of the International Pageant of Pulchritude. Britton was crowned as Miss Dallas. | |
| 1880 | Myrtle Meriwether[38] | Pennsylvania | Rehoboth Beach, Delaware | The veracity of the 1880 Miss United States competition is contested.[39] | |
In the 2000 American comedy film Miss Congeniality, the FBI asks tomboy agent Gracie (Sandra Bullock) to go under cover as a contestant when a terrorist threatens to bomb the Miss United States pageant. The film also popularized the pop-culture phrase "she's beauty and she's grace" from the Miss United States song which has lyrics "she's beauty and she's grace, she's Miss United States."
The very first use of the title "Miss United States" allegedly goes back as far as 1880, when Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, held the first recorded "beauty pageant" in the United States searching for "the most beautiful unmarried woman in our nation" and awarding her the title of 'Miss United States'.[38] [40] [41] Some attribute this 1880 pageant to P.T. Barnum,[42] although, this may be confused with P.T. Barnum's unsuccessful effort in the 1850s to start a live beauty contest.[43] Several sources, including PBS and the History Channel, cite Thomas Edison as a judge of the 1880 Miss United States pageant.[44] However, the very existence of this 1880 pageant is contested.[45] [39]
Many news articles about the current Miss United States organization cite the first Miss United States pageant as taking place in 1937 with the title being award to Miss California,[46] [47] [48] however, other sources point to the first Miss United States title as being awarded in 1925 to Miss California.[49] A 1937 Albuquerque newspaper names the 1937 Miss United States winner as Margaret Smith of Tennessee.[50] One source says the pageant was put on hold during World War 1, and then re-established in 1937,[49] however, the Boston Globe published a 1929 article naming Irene Ahlberg as Miss United States 1929[51] and Universal Newsreel footage from 1931 shows Miss United States 1931, Ann Lee Patterson.[31] Some of this confusion stems from the conflation of the original Miss Universe (International Pageant of Pulchritude) which also selected a 'Miss United States'[52] and the modern Miss Universe pageant which began in 1951 and where from 1951 to 1962, the U.S. representative was called 'Miss United States of America' before the title was renamed to 'Miss USA' in 1962.[53] The International Pageant of Pulchritude, which existed from 1920 to 1935, was the first international beauty pageant and crowned both a 'Miss United States' and 'Miss Universe'.
Additionally, national "Miss United States" pageants were held after 1935 by several different entities across the United States including American Legion auxiliaries and Biloxi event promoter R.H. Thompson. Patriotic festivals/parades also often had a young woman play "Miss United States" for the festivities, unrelated to a pageant or competition.[54]
The title "Miss United States" was trademarked by Catalina Swimwear (which founded the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants) in 1957.[55] Catalina Swimwear's competitions, which began in 1952, included both "Miss Universe" and "Miss United States of America", which would be renamed to "Miss USA" in 1962. The "Miss United States" trademark was then transferred in accordance with the change of Miss USA ownership, including to Donald Trump's pageant business "Trump Pageants, L.P." in 1996 and to the Miss Universe organization in 1997,[55] although the pageant never used the title "Miss United States" or "Miss United States of America" after 1962. Organizers of the pageant that chooses the U.S. representative to Miss World used the title "Miss United States" from 1958 to 1961.[56] [57] The Miss Universe organization allowed their "Miss United States" trademark to expire in 1999,[58] ten years after their trademark of the title "Miss USA" was accepted by the U.S. Patent office.[59]
In December 2000 (one year after the expiration of the 'Miss United States' trademark), the film Miss Congeniality (which was centered around a 'Miss United States' pageant) was released grossing $212 million worldwide against its $45 million budget.[60] The following year, Mrs. United States Pageant, Inc. (who previously held 'Mrs. United States' and 'Miss Teen United States' pageants) held a "Miss United States" pageant for the first time, with their former Miss Teen United States, Starla Smith, taking the crown. Mrs. United States Pageant, Inc. currently owns the "Miss United States" trademark which was applied for in 2005, and registered in 2008.[61] In 2012, the Mrs. United States Pageant, Inc. sued organizers of a "Miss United States of America" pageant for trademark infringement, and won.[62]
The "Miss United States" pageant is held annually alongside the corporation's Little Miss United States, Miss Pre-Teen United States, Miss Jr. Teen United States, Miss Teen United States, Ms. United States, Ms. Woman United States, and Mrs. United States pageants.[63]