Mrs. America (contest) explained

Mrs. America Pageant is a beauty competition that was established to honor married women throughout the United States of America. Each of the contestants representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia ranges in age from their 20s to 50s and earns the right to participate in the national event by winning her state competition. These state events are under the direction of Mrs. America state directors. The winner goes on to compete in the Mrs. World pageant.[1]

Mrs. America, Inc., celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2021. The pageant has been televised on networks including PAX and WE (Women's Entertainment); in May 2011, it was carried by the My Family TV network.

On August 29, 2014, the pageant was held in Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona. The pageant moved to its original pageant home, Las Vegas - Westgate Resort, Hotel and Casino. The pageant continues to be held in Las Vegas yearly.

During the 2014 pageant, Mrs. America, Inc., announced that it would be participating in a joint Russian-American contest to be held in Sevastopol, Crimea.[1] This has caused some controversy,[2] [3] since Crimea is recognized by most countries in the world as Ukrainian territory that has been annexed by Russia.[4] The 2015 joint pageant was supposed to mark the 25th anniversary of a joint U.S.-Soviet Mrs. America contest held in Moscow in 1989 to foster good will between the two countries; however, organizers announced that due to the devaluation of the ruble against the American dollar, the pageant would have to find a new site.

The Mrs. America 2023 Pageant was held on August 20, 2022, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nicole Zwiercan of Illinois was crowned Mrs. America.[5]

Events

1955: Ramona Deitemeyer, Mrs. America 1955, appeared on What's My Line?.[6]

1993: Verna Martin, Mrs. District of Columbia, on Wednesday, May 12, 1993, the designation of Mrs. Washington, DC – America 1993 was conferred upon Verna Martin by the Mrs. America Pageant selection committee. She was the first African American contestant to win Mrs. Washington, DC title..

2004: Traci Clemens, Mrs. Rhode Island, competed while six months pregnant with twins. She was the first visibly pregnant woman to compete in the nationally televised event. Traci Clemens is also the first African American contestant to win the Mrs. Rhode Island title.

Titleholders

Titleholders are designated by year of title/reign; competitions are held the preceding fall.[7]

Title YearNameStatePlacement at Mrs. WorldNotes
1977Ruth Johnson California
1978Cindy Roberts Alaska
1979 Carrie Gabriel Strom New Jersey
1980 Carol Anne McEwen Texas
1981 Paddy Boyd Argovitz Louisiana
1982 Rhonda McGeeney Texas
1983 Susan Goodman Tennessee
1984 Deborah Wolfe West Virginia1st runner upMother of Miss West Virginia Teen USA 2004 Mary Ellen Wolfe,[8] and made top 10 in Miss America 1980
1985 Donna Russell Mississippi
1986 Cynthia Amann Florida
1987 Pamela Nail MississippiMrs. World
Suzy Katz CaliforniaN/AOriginally 1st runner-up to Pamela Nail in 1987, ascended to Mrs. America when Pamela Nail won Mrs. World
1988Jennifer Kline Minnesota2nd runner-up
1989Jennifer Johnson Oklahoma
1990
1991 Kristianna Nichols Indiana
1992 Dr. Doris Martineaux Dalton Pennsylvania
1993 Keyna Baucom North Carolina
1994 Wendy Lewis Texas
1995 Kimberly Brasher Oklahoma1st runner upMs Idaho
1996 Cynthia Pensiero Ohio
1997 Lisa Lilenthal New York
1998 Renee Cairns Florida
1999 Starla Stanley Utah Mrs. World
Stacy Willis Alabama N/AOriginally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when Starla Stanley won Mrs. World[9]
2000 Leslie Lam Hawaii
2001 Nicole Brink IndianaMrs. WorldPreviously Miss Indiana Teen USA 1992 (semifinalist in Miss Teen USA 1992) and Miss Indiana USA 1998 under her maiden name, Nicole Llewellyn.
Laurett Ellsworth Arenz Virginia N/AOriginally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when Nicole Brink won Mrs. World. Went on to host a National financial radio program: HERO'S Talk Radio, Freedom Financial Network http://www.FreedomFinancialAngel.com and write an award-winning book: The RAFT Strategy: How to Build Your Tax-Free Nest Egg Without Risk
2002 Kristi Phillips Alabama 3rd runner upWas Mrs. America®, Mrs. Congeniality and the TRIMSPA Dream Body Winner.
2003 Heidi Dinan Missouri
2004Julie Love-Templeton Alabama 3rd runner up
2005Andrea Pruess California Previously Miss Virginia Teen USA 1992 & Miss Virginia 1995 (dethroned) under her maiden name, Andrea Ballengee. Mrs. United States 2003. Filmed for television at the Palm Springs Riviera Resort & Racquet Club in Palm Springs, California[10] [11]
2006Diane Tucker ArizonaMrs. World
Marney Duckworth Colorado N/AOriginally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when Diane Tucker won Mrs. World. Previously Miss Nebraska Teen USA 1992 under her maiden name Marney Monson went on to become a published author in spring 2021
2007Kelly McBee WyomingTop 10
2008Maureen McDonald North Carolina
2009Andrea Robertson Missouri
2010Shelley Carbone[12] Connecticut
2011April Lufriu FloridaMrs. WorldFirst-generation American (parents from Honduras)
Lara Leimana Fonoimoana HawaiiOriginally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when April Lufriu won Mrs. World
2012Vicki Sarber AlaskaFormerly Miss Alaska American Coed 1992-Placed 2nd Runner-Up at National Competition in Honolulu, Hawaii. 1990 Miss Alaska Teen of the Year. Placed 1st Runner Up at National Competition in New Orleans, La.
2013Austen (Brown) Williams TexasN/APreviously Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2002 (Miss Congeniality)

Competed at Mrs. World along with her 1st runner through invitation of the national office
Kaley Sparling[13] IdahoMrs. WorldNamed 1st runner-up in 2013 Mrs. America pageant[14]

Competed alongside of Williams at Mrs. World 2013 pageant by invitation of the national office
2014Michelle Nicole Evans Oklahoma
2015Madeline (Mitchell) Gwin AlabamaFormer Miss Alabama USA 2011 and 2nd runner up for Miss USA 2011
2016Natalie Luttmer WashingtonTop 10
2017Mekayla (Diehl) Eppers IndianaTop 12Former Miss Indiana USA 2014 and top 20 at Miss USA 2014
2018Nicole (Rash) Cook[15] IllinoisTop 6Former Miss Indiana 2007
1st runner up at Miss America 2008 pageant

Former Ms. Missouri 2012 and Ms. America 2012[16]

Also competed as Mrs. Illinois in 2014
2019Natalie Winslow Nevada
2021Brooklyn Rivera Texas
21/22Jackie Blankenship Michigan
22/23Nicole La Ha Zwiercan IllinoisTop 6Elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2022
23/24Regina Stock Texas

Crossovers

Some contestants in the Mrs. America pageant have previously held state pageant titles in the Miss USA, Miss America, Mrs. United States, and Miss Teen USA pageants. They include:[17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22]

Forerunner pageant

Prior to the current Mrs. America pageant, there was an earlier pageant of the same name. The pageant was created by public relations executive Bert Nevins in 1936 as a promotion for his client, Palisades Amusement Park. When Nevins sold the pageant in 1963, it was the only nationally televised beauty pageant for married women.[23] By 1964, participants were graded on cooking, sewing, ironing, party preparation and other homemaking abilities, family psychology, grooming, poise, personality, and general attractiveness. Winners included:
Source: online newspaper archives

Hosts

Notes and References

  1. http://www.mrsamerica.com/ Mrs. America website
  2. http://www.salon.com/2014/09/05/mrs_america_goes_to_crimea_the_pageant_that_once_pitched_itself_as_trailblazing_is_a_total_disaster/ Salon News "Mrs. America goes to Crimea: The pageant that once tried to be trailblazing is a disaster" Sep 5, 2014
  3. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/mrs-america-defies-politics-and-brings-beauty-pageant-to-crimea/506494.html Moscow News: "Mrs. America Defies Politics and Brings Beauty Pageant to Crimea" Sep 5, 2014
  4. https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2014/ga11493.doc.htm/ UN Website
  5. Web site: MRS. America Inc. On Instagram: "Congratulations to our new MRS. America, Nicole Zwiercan, MRS. Illinois • We are excited to watch your reign! #MrsAmerica #MAI #MrsAmericaOfficial #MrsAmericaPresents #MrsAmericaInc #MRS #beauty #pageant #MrsIllinois #Illinois #delegates #America #westgate #lasvegas #westgateresorts #westgatelasvegas #victoriasvoice #victoriasvoicefoundation #victoryclubs #beautyforgood #empoweringwomen #awareness #charity #gilliamphotography" .
  6. http://www.tv.com/shows/whats-my-line/episode-259-95216/ TV.com episode guide
  7. http://www.pageantcenter.com/mrs_america.html Mrs. America Titleholders
  8. http://www.tftj.com/db/preliminary.htm/9/4/2004/328 West Virginia 2004
  9. Web site: Huntsville Resident Crowned MRS. America 2000 . 2008-09-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071211023441/http://huntsville.about.com/cs/huntsvillians/a/mrsamerica.htm . 2007-12-11 . dead .
  10. http://www.psfilmoffice.com/index.php/site/info/category/film_facts/ Palm Springs Desert Cities Virtual Film Office: Filmed in the Desert Cities
  11. Web site: 2005 Mrs America . August 30, 2010.
  12. Web site: Mrs America 2010 Results. Mrs. America Pageant. September 10, 2010. dead. https://archive.today/20120904040645/http://www.mrsamerica.com/results2010.html. September 4, 2012.
  13. Web site: MRS WORLD 2013 – CONTESTANTS, PREDICTIONS & WINNERS. 23 November 2013. 28 April 2018.
  14. News: Kaley Sparling- Mrs. World far from Toddlers & Tiaras . Boarders . December 3, 2013.
  15. News: Chief Meteorologist places in Top 15 in Mrs. America Pageant . KGET News . August 27, 2018 . Nicole Elizabeth Cook of Illinois was crowned Mrs. America..
  16. News: Deb . Peterson . St. Louis' Nicole Rash crowned Ms. America. St. Louis Post-Dispatch . April 17, 2012.
  17. Web site: 2010 Mrs America . September 10, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110120004329/http://www.tftj.com/db/delegates.htm/33/Mrs/2010 . January 20, 2011 . dead .
  18. Web site: 2009 Mrs America . August 30, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101012171728/http://www.tftj.com/db/delegates.htm/33/Mrs/2009 . October 12, 2010 . dead .
  19. Web site: 2008 Mrs America . August 30, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071214015108/http://www.tftj.com/db/delegates.htm/33/Mrs/2008 . December 14, 2007 . dead .
  20. Web site: 2007 Mrs America . August 30, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101013113808/http://www.tftj.com/db/delegates.htm/33/Mrs/2007 . October 13, 2010 . dead .
  21. Web site: 2006 Mrs America . August 30, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090709054528/http://www.tftj.com/db/delegates.htm/33/Mrs/2006 . July 9, 2009 . dead .
  22. Web site: 2004 Mrs America . August 30, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110624080946/http://www.tftj.com/db/delegates.htm/33/Mrs/2004 . June 24, 2011 . dead .
  23. New York Times, July 20, 1966
  24. http://villagegreennj.com/towns/south-orange/turning-100-longtime-south-orange-resident-celebrated-family-friends/#prettyphoto[group]/3/ The Village Green
  25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjqLil3dX3Y "Miss and Mrs. America (1951)"
  26. Web site: The Sunday News Journal - Google News Archive Search.
  27. appeared in Greyhound Scenicruiser ads and christened the first one with champagne in July 1954 in Pontiac, Michigan; "Mrs. America (Wanda Jennings, of Saint Louis, Missouri) broke a traditional bottle of champagne on the front bumper of F-701 (serial 002)."
  28. Web site: Growing Up at Greyhound . bluehoundsandredhounds.info . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110617100935/http://www.bluehoundsandredhounds.info/barguag.html . 2011-06-17.
  29. http://www.mrsnebraskaamerica.com/1956.html Ramona Deitemeyer
  30. http://www.oregonlive.com/century/1950_photo_13.html Growing Up In The 1950s
  31. News: Fortson . Mary . Personality of Mrs. America Warms Winter-Chilled City as Both Arrive Here . 22 June 2023 . The Atlanta Constitution . 2 December 1964. .

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