List of Miss America titleholders

Miss America is an annual competition open to women from the United States between the ages of 17 and 24. Originating in 1921 as a beauty pageant, the competition is now judged on competitors' talent performances and interviews in addition to their physical appearance.

Partial gallery of winners

• 
  Margaret Gorman
  Miss America 1921
• 
  Bess Myerson
  Miss America 1945
• 
  Lee Meriwether
  Miss America 1955
• 
  Phyllis George
  Miss America 1971
• 
  Vanessa L. Williams
  Miss America 1984
• 
  Gretchen Carlson
  Miss America 1989
• 
  Nina Davuluri
  Miss America 2014
• 
  Kira Kazantsev
  Miss America 2015

Winners

Year	Crowned	Winner	Local / State Title	Hometown	Age	Awards	Talent	Notes
1921	Sept. 8, 1921	Margaret Gorman	Washington, D.C.	Washington	16	Inter-City Beauty, Amateur	No Talent Competition	She was actually crowned "The Most Beautiful Bathing Girl in America." She was not titled "Miss America" until 1922, when she returned to defend her title.
1922	Sept. 7, 1922	Mary Campbell	Columbus (Ohio)	Columbus	16			Only person to win twice. Furthermore, she also was First Runner-up at 1924 pageant. After that pageant, in which judges' scores revealed she almost won a third time, the Miss America Organization changed its rules so a contestant may only win once.
1923	Sept. 7, 1923				17
1924	Sept. 6, 1924	Ruth Malcomson	Philadelphia (Pennsylvania)	Philadelphia	18
1925	Sept. 11, 1925	Fay Lanphier	California	Oakland	19
1926	Sept. 10, 1926	Norma Smallwood	Tulsa (Oklahoma)	Tulsa	18	Bather's Revue Winner, Evening Gown Award
1927	Sept. 9, 1927	Lois Delander	Illinois	Joilet	17
1928	No pageants were held due to the Great Depression.
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933	Sept. 9, 1933	Marian Bergeron	Connecticut	West Haven	15		No Talent Competition	Prior to the organization's change in age requirements, she became the youngest winner in history at the age of 15½. She held title for two years, since no competition was held in 1934. To date, she is the only representative from a New England state to win.
1934	No pageant was held.
1935	Sept. 7, 1935	Henrietta Leaver	Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania)	Pittsburgh	17		Vocal / Tap Dance "Living In a Great Big Way"
1936	Sept. 12, 1936	Rose Coyle	Philadelphia (Pennsylvania)	Philadelphia	22	Preliminary Talent	Vocal / Tap Dance "I Can't Escape From You" & "Truckin'"
1937	Sept. 11, 1937	Bette Cooper	Bertrand Island (New Jersey)	Bertrand Island	17	Evening Gown Award	Vocal "When the Poppies Bloom Again"
1938	Sept. 10, 1938	Marilyn Meseke	Ohio	Marion	21		Tap Dance "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise"	She held the title of Miss Ohio twice, in 1931 and 1938. She was only 14 when she won the title Miss Ohio 1931. There was no Miss America competition in 1931.
1939	Sept. 9, 1939	Patricia Donnelly	Michigan	Detroit	19		Vocal / Bass Fiddle "To You" & "Ol' Man Mose"
1940	Sept. 7, 1940	Frances Marie Burke	Philadelphia (Pennsylvania)	Philadelphia	19	Preliminary Swimsuit	Vocal / Dance "I Can't Love You Anymore"
1941	Sept. 6, 1941	Rosemary LaPlanche	California	Los Angeles	18	Preliminary Swimsuit	Dance	She placed 1st runner-up at Miss America 1940. Pageant now no longer allows contestants to compete for Miss America more than once.
1942	Sept. 12, 1942	Jo-Carroll Dennison	Texas	Tyler	18	Preliminary Swimsuit, Preliminary Talent	Vocal / Dance "Deep in the Heart of Texas"
1943	Sept. 11, 1943	Jean Bartel	California	Los Angeles	19	Preliminary Swimsuit, Preliminary Talent	Vocal "Night and Day"
1944	Sept. 9, 1944	Venus Ramey	Washington, D.C.	Washington	19	Preliminary Swimsuit, Preliminary Talent	Vocal / Dance "Take It Easy"
1945	Sept. 8, 1945	Bess Myerson	New York City (New York)	New York City	21	Preliminary Swimsuit, Preliminary Talent	Piano & Flute "Piano Concerto In A Minor" by Edvard Grieg & "Summertime"	First Jewish American Miss America and first Miss New York. Consumer advocate, TV host and politician.
1946	Sept. 7, 1946	Marilyn Buferd	California	Los Angeles	21	Preliminary Swimsuit, Preliminary Talent (tie)	Dramatic Monologue Accent on Youth
1947	Sept. 6, 1947	Barbara Jo Walker	Memphis (Tennessee)	Memphis	21	Preliminary Talent	Art Display & Vocal Medley "One Kiss" & "Un Bel Di" from Madama Butterfly
1948	Sept. 11, 1948	BeBe Shopp	Minnesota	Hopkins	18	Preliminary Swimsuit	Vibraharp "Caprice Viennois" by Fritz Kreisler
1949	Sept. 10, 1949	Jacque Mercer	Arizona	Litchfield	18	Preliminary Swimsuit (tie), Preliminary Talent	Dramatic Reading Romeo and Juliet
1950	No "Miss America 1950" was officially crowned. Since majority of titleholder's reign occurs during year following coronation, the organization began referring to titleholder using upcoming year.
1951	Sept. 9, 1950	Yolande Betbeze	Alabama	Mobile	21	Preliminary Swimsuit	Classical Vocal "Caro Nome" from Rigoletto
1952	Sept. 8, 1951	Colleen Kay Hutchins	Utah	Salt Lake City	25	Preliminary Talent	Dramatic Monologue "Elizabeth the Queen" by Maxwell Anderson
1953	Sept. 6, 1952	Neva Jane Langley	Georgia	Macon	19	Preliminary Swimsuit, Preliminary Talent	Classical Piano "Toccata"
1954	Sept. 12, 1953	Evelyn Margaret Ay	Pennsylvania	Ephrata	20	Preliminary Swimsuit	Poetry Recitation "Footsteps" from Leaves from a Grass-House by Don Blanding	Last winner crowned before pageant is presented on television.
1955	Sept. 11, 1954	Lee Meriwether	California	San Francisco	19	Preliminary Swimsuit	Dramatic Monologue Riders to the Sea	Actress, starring in Batman, Barnaby Jones and All My Children.
1956	Sept. 10, 1955	Sharon Ritchie	Colorado	Denver	18		Recitation "The Murder of Lidice" by Edna St. Vincent Millay
1957	Sept. 8, 1956	Marian McKnight	South Carolina	Manning	19		Comedy Sketch "The Monroe Doctrine"
1958	Sept. 7, 1957	Marilyn Van Derbur	Colorado	Denver	20		Organ "Tea for Two" & "Tenderly"
1959	Sept. 6, 1958	Mary Ann Mobley	Mississippi	Brandon	21	Preliminary Talent	Vocal Medley & Dance "Un Bel Di" & "There'll Be Some Changes Made"	Actress (Diff'rent Strokes) and TV hostess
1960	Sept. 12, 1959	Lynda Lee Mead		Natchez	20		Original Dramatic Act "Schizophrenia"
1961	Sept. 10, 1960	Nancy Fleming	Michigan	Montague	18	Preliminary Swimsuit, Preliminary Talent (tie)	Presentation of Dress Design
1962	Sept. 9, 1961	Maria Fletcher	North Carolina	Asheville	19	Preliminary Swimsuit	Tap Dance to Her Vocal Recording "Somebody Loves Me"
1963	Sept. 8, 1962	Jacquelyn Mayer	Ohio	Sandusky	20		Broadway Vignette "Wishing Upon a Star," "My Favorite Things" & The White Cliffs of Dover
1964	Sept. 7, 1963	Donna Axum	Arkansas	El Dorado	21	Preliminary Swimsuit	Vocal Medley "Quando me'n vo'" & "I Love Paris"
1965	Sept. 12, 1964	Vonda Kay Van Dyke	Arizona	Phoenix	21	Miss Congeniality	Ventriloquism & Singing "Together (Wherever We Go)"	Only Miss Congeniality award winner to win.
1966	Sept. 11, 1965	Deborah Irene Bryant	Kansas	Overland Park	19	Preliminary Swimsuit	Dramatic Interpretation "The Miserable Miserliness of Midas Moneybags"
1967	Sept. 10, 1966	Jane Anne Jayroe	Oklahoma	Laverne	19	Preliminary Talent	Vocal / Orchestra Conducting "1-2-3"
1968	Sept. 9, 1967	Debra Dene Barnes	Kansas	Moran	20	Preliminary Swimsuit	Piano Solo "Born Free"
1969	Sept. 7, 1968	Judith Anne Ford	Illinois	Belvidere	18	Preliminary Swimsuit, Preliminary Talent	Acrobatic Dance & Trampoline "The Blue Danube"
1970	Sept. 6, 1969	Pamela Anne Eldred	Michigan	West Bloomfield	21	Preliminary Swimsuit	Ballet "Love Theme" from Romeo & Juliet
1971	Sept. 12, 1970	Phyllis Ann George	Texas	Denton	21	Preliminary Swimsuit	Piano Medley Promises, Promises & "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"	Former presenter of The NFL Today and former First Lady of Kentucky.
1972	Sept. 12, 1971	Laurie Lea Schaefer	Ohio	Bexley	22	Preliminary Swimsuit	Semi-classical Vocal "And This Is My Beloved"
1973	Sept. 9, 1972	Terry Anne Meeuwsen	Wisconsin	De Pere	23	Preliminary Swimsuit, Preliminary Talent	Vocal "He Touched Me" from Drat! The Cat!	Co-presenter of The 700 Club
1974	Sept. 8, 1973	Rebecca Ann King	Colorado	Denver	23		Vocal "If I Ruled the World"
1975	Sept. 7, 1974	Shirley Cothran	Texas	Fort Worth	21	Preliminary Swimsuit	Flute Medley "Bumble Boogie" & "Swingin' Shepherd Blues"
1976	Sept. 6, 1975	Tawny Elaine Godin	New York	Yonkers	18		Original Piano Composition "Images in Pastels"
1977	Sept. 11, 1976	Dorothy Kathleen Benham	Minnesota	Edina	20	Preliminary Swimsuit, Preliminary Talent	Classical Vocal "Adele's Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus
1978	Sept. 10, 1977	Susan Perkins	Ohio	Columbus	23	Preliminary Talent	Vocal "Good Morning Heartache"
1979	Sept. 9, 1978	Kylene Barker	Virginia	Galax	22		Gymnastics Routine "Gonna Fly Now" & "Feels So Good"
1980	Sept. 8, 1979	Cheryl Prewitt	Mississippi	Ackerman	22	Preliminary Swimsuit	Vocal / Piano "Don't Cry Out Loud"
1981	Sept. 6, 1980	Susan Carol Powell	Oklahoma	Elk City	21	Preliminary Talent (tie)	Classical Vocal "The Telephone Aria"
1982	Sept. 12, 1981	Grace Elizabeth Ward	Arkansas	Cabot	20	Preliminary Swimsuit	Vocal "After You've Gone"
1983	Sept. 18, 1982	Debra Maffett	California	Anaheim	25	Preliminary Swimsuit, Preliminary Talent	Popular Vocal "Come In From the Rain"	Competed in home state for Miss Texas several times prior to competing and winning Miss California on her first attempt.
1984 A	Sept. 17, 1983	Vanessa Lynn Williams	New York	Millwood	20	Preliminary Swimsuit, Preliminary Talent	Popular Vocal "Happy Days Are Here Again"	First African American Miss America. Resigned on July 23, 1984, due to backlash from nude photos unauthorized to be published in Penthouse magazine.
1984 B	July 23, 1984	Suzette Charles	New Jersey	Mays Landing	21	Preliminary Talent	Popular Vocal "Kiss Me In the Rain"	Seven-week reign is the shortest served by any Miss America.
1985	Sept. 8, 1984	Sharlene Wells	Utah	Salt Lake City	20	Preliminary Swimsuit	Spanish Vocal & Paraguyan Harp "Mis Noches Sin Ti"	The first foreign-born, bilingual Miss America, having been born in Asunción, Paraguay.
1986	Sept. 14, 1985	Susan Akin	Mississippi	Meridian	21	Preliminary Swimsuit	Vocal "You're My World"
1987	Sept. 13, 1986	Kellye Cash	Tennessee	Memphis	21	Preliminary Swimsuit, Preliminary Talent	Piano / Vocal "I'll Be Home"	Grandniece of singer Johnny Cash
1988	Sept. 19, 1987	Kaye Lani Rae Rafko	Michigan	Monroe	24	Preliminary Swimsuit	Hawaiian-Tahitian dance	President of Gabby's Ladder, a bereavement program for children and their families
1989	Sept. 10, 1988	Gretchen Elizabeth Carlson	Minnesota	Anoka	22	Preliminary Talent	Classical Violin "Zigeunerweisen"	News Anchor on Fox & Friends
1990	Sept. 16, 1989	Debbye Turner	Missouri	Mexico	23	Preliminary Swimsuit	Marimba Medley "Flight of the Bumblebee," "Csárdás" & "Can-Can"	Medical Reporter and Anchor for CBS's The Early Show
1991	Sept. 8, 1990	Marjorie Judith Vincent	Illinois	Oak Park	25	Preliminary Talent	Classical Piano "Fantaisie-Impromptu"	First Miss America winner of Haitian descent
1992	Sept. 14, 1991	Carolyn Suzanne Sapp	Hawaii	Kona	24	Preliminary Swimsuit	Vocal "Ain't Misbehavin'"
1993	Sept. 19, 1992	Leanza Cornett	Florida	Jacksonville	21		Vocal "A New Life" from Jekyll & Hyde	Married to former ET correspondent Mark Steines
1994	Sept. 18, 1993	Kimberly Clarice Aiken	South Carolina	Columbia	18		Vocal "Summertime"
1995	Sept. 17, 1994	Heather Whitestone	Alabama	Birmingham	21	Preliminary Swimsuit, Preliminary Talent	Ballet en Pointe "Via Dolorosa"	First deaf Miss America
1996	Sept. 16, 1995	Shawntel Smith	Oklahoma	Muldrow	24		Vocal "The Woman in the Moon" from A Star Is Born	Executive vice president of administration of PBH Holdings
1997	Sept. 14, 1996	Tara Dawn Holland	Kansas	Overland Park	23	Preliminary Swimsuit	Classical Vocal "Où Va la Jeune Hindoue" from Lakmé	Video of her receiving crown was shown at beginning of 2006 film Little Miss Sunshine.
1998	Sept. 13, 1997	Katherine Shindle	Illinois	Evanston	21	Preliminary Talent	Vocal "Don't Rain on My Parade"	Performed in theater, including Legally Blonde on Broadway.
1999	Sept. 19, 1998	Lauren Nicole Johnson	Virginia	Roanoke	24		Vocal "That's Life"	Diabetes awareness advocate.
2000	Sept. 18, 1999	Heather Renee French	Kentucky	Maysville	24	Preliminary Swimsuit	Vocal "As If We Never Said Goodbye" from Sunset Boulevard	Released her own designer clothing line.
2001	Oct. 14, 2000	Angela Perez Baraquio	Hawaii	Honolulu	24	Preliminary Swimsuit	Hula "Theme" from Mutiny on the Bounty	First Filipino American and Asian American Miss America
2002	Sept. 22, 2001	Katie Harman	Oregon	Gresham	21	Preliminary Talent	Classical Vocal "O mio babbino caro"	Released music CD, Soul of Love
2003	Sept. 21, 2002	Erika Harold	Illinois	Urbana	22		Classical Vocal "Habanera"
2004	Sept. 20, 2003	Ericka Dunlap	Florida	Orlando	21		Vocal "If I Could"	First African American Miss Florida. She finished in third place on The Amazing Race 15 with her husband, Brian Kleinschmidt.
2005	Sept. 18, 2004	Deidre Downs	Alabama	Birmingham	24		Vocal "I'm Afraid This Must Be Love"	Won Miss Alabama on her fifth try.
2006	Jan. 21, 2006	Jennifer Berry	Oklahoma	Tulsa	22	Preliminary Talent	Ballet en Pointe "Within"	Won Miss Oklahoma on her fifth try.
2007	Jan. 29, 2007	Lauren Nelson		Lawton	20	Preliminary Swimsuit	Vocal "You'll Be in My Heart"	Miss Oklahoma's Outstanding Teen 2004
2008	Jan. 26, 2008	Kirsten Iora Haglund	Michigan	Farmington Hills	19	Preliminary Swimsuit	Vocal "Over the Rainbow"	Grandmother competed at Miss America as Miss Detroit
2009	Jan. 24, 2009	Katie Stam	Indiana	Seymour	22	Preliminary Swimsuit	Vocal "Via Dolorosa"	Miss Kentuckiana Teen 2002, Indiana's Junior Miss 2005 and second runner-up at America's Junior Miss 2005.
2010	Jan. 30, 2010	Caressa Cameron	Virginia	Fredericksburg	22	Preliminary Talent	Vocal "Listen" from Dreamgirls
2011	Jan. 15, 2011	Teresa Scanlan	Nebraska	Gering	17	Preliminary Talent	Piano "White Water Chopped Sticks" by Calvin Jones	Youngest Miss America winner since 1937. Youngest Miss Nebraska crowned.
2012	Jan. 14, 2012	Laura Marie Kaeppeler	Wisconsin	Kenosha	23	Preliminary Talent	Operatic Vocal "Il Bacio" by Luigi Arditi
2013	Jan. 12, 2013	Mallory Hagan	New York	Brooklyn	23		Tap Dance "Get Up Offa That Thing" by James Brown
2014	Sept. 15, 2013	Nina Davuluri		Fayetteville	24		Bollywood Fusion Dance "Dhoom Tana" from the film Om Shanti Om	First Indian American winner and first to perform a Bollywood dance on the Miss America stage.
2015	Sept. 14, 2014	Kira Kazantsev		New York City	23		Vocal with Plastic Cup Percussion "Happy" by Pharrell Williams
2016	Sept. 13, 2015	Betty Cantrell	Georgia	Warner Robins	20	Preliminary Talent	Classical Vocal "Tu? Tu? Piccolo Iddio!" from Madama Butterfly
2017	Sept. 11, 2016	TBA	TBA	TBA

See also

• List of Miss America winners by state

External links

• Miss America official website