The First Miss America Pageant [1921]
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What happened next?
- Reward for getting first place
- A trip to the 2nd annual Atlantic City Pageant
- was an honored guest
- Margaret entered the "Inter-City Beauty contest"
- (later known as Miss. America pageant)
- public would surround each entry (get to know)
- asked questions (about personality)
- won first place
- First
- Went crazy
- idea of Miss. America
- each newspaper wanted to hold contest
- similar to Washington Hearld
- Later (1924)
- disassociate with any trace of Miss. America pageant
- thought (Miss. America pageant) only wanted publicity
How did "Miss. America" come about?
- August
- Margaret wanted to defend her title
- by then Washington Hearld selected new Miss. Washington D.C.
- Titles she won were "awkward" or a little "inappropriate"
- decided to call her Miss. America
How the pageant elevated...
When did this take place?
Who was involved in the first Miss. America pageant?
- Popularity of the "inter-city beauty pageant" increased
- 1925
- pageant aired via radio first time
- Years later other nationalities could compete
- Later (1968)
- feminism said that the pageant was untrue to a woman's appearance
- set a symbol to women not true
- Margaret Gorman
- a junior at Western High School
- Washington D.C.
What happened?
Effect of first Miss. America Pageant
- Margaret
- entered in a popularity contest
- held by Washington Hearld
- was number one out of six other finalists
- Miss. Washington D.C.
- Many to follow
- Different styles came about
- "Mrs. America" pageant began for married women
- first came up in 1923
- runner-up said "Miss. America" couldn't be awarded to a married woman
- began in 1975