Miss America 1924

Miss America 1924, the fourth Miss America pageant, was held at the Million Dollar Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 6, 1924.Mary Katherine Campbell, who won the title the previous two years, placed as 1st runner-up. Pageant officials later instituted a rule allowing competitors to be crowned only once.Ruth Malcomson competing as Miss Philadelphia was named Miss America of 1924 against a field of 83 entrants, the largest number of contestants in Miss America history.

Second runner-up Fay Lanphier would become Miss America 1925. Another of the finalists, Beatrice Roberts, became an actress who appeared in more than 50 Hollywood productions.

Results

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Miss America 1945

Miss America 1945, the 19th Miss America pageant, was held at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 8, 1945. Two days prior to the actual selection and coronation, the night of the talent competition, the Army Air Force Veterans voted the eventual winner, Miss New York City (Bess Myerson) as their favorite beauty queen.

Overview

Bess Myerson was the first Jewish-American and the first Miss New York (competing as Miss New York City, a competition organized by a local radio station) to win the Miss America Pageant as Miss America 1945. As the only Jewish contestant, Myerson was encouraged by the pageant directors to change her name to "Bess Meredith" or "Beth Merrick" but she refused. After winning the title (and as a Jewish Miss America), Myerson received few endorsements and later recalled that "I couldn't even stay in certain hotels [...] there would be signs that read no coloreds, no Jews, no dogs. I felt so rejected. Here I was chosen to represent American womanhood and then America treated me like this." She thus cut short her Miss America tour and instead traveled with the Anti-Defamation League. In this capacity, she spoke against discrimination in a talk entitled, "You Can't Be Beautiful and Hate."

Miss America 2008

Miss America 2008, the 81st Miss America pageant, was held at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on January 26, 2008.

The pageant was broadcast live on TLC from the Theatre for the Performing Arts at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, only the third time that the pageant has been held outside Atlantic City.

Kirsten Haglund (Michigan) was crowned Miss America 2008 by Miss America 2007, Lauren Nelson.

Selection of contestants

One delegate from each state was chosen in state pageants held in mid-2007. Prior to competing in state pageants, the majority of delegates first were required to win a local title. Each delegate's title is pre-dated to 2007, for example Jamie Langley is "Miss Alabama 2007" rather than "Miss Alabama 2008." Many contestants competed in state pageants in both the Miss America and Miss USA systems numerous times before they won titles. Some previously competed in states other than those where they won a state title.

All contestants had to be between 17 and 24 years old, unmarried, and a citizen of the United States. They had to meet residency and education requirements.