For the First Time, Miss America, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, and Now Miss Universe Are All Black Women
By Abby Gardner , December 9, 2019
With Zozibini Tunzi’s win, black women notch another major pageant title.
Pageants often get a bad rap for being regressive leftovers from a different time. While some of that criticism is fair, the organizations that run them have made changes in recent years to become more modern. (Case and point: the elimination of the swimsuit competition at Miss America.) And there’s no question that their reach is still enormous, with competitions running in all 50 states and in countries around the world.
Now, for the first time ever, the titles for Miss America, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, and Miss Universe are held by black women. Last night, the newly crowned Miss Universe, Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa, joined Miss America Nia Franklin, Miss USA Cheslie Kryst, and Miss Teen USA Kaliegh Garris.
“I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me, with my kind of skin and my kind of hair, was never considered to be beautiful,” Tunzi said, according to the BBC. “I think that it is time that that stops today.”
“It is important to little brown and black girls to see three strong figures, three strong women, African American women that are doing so much great work,” Ms. Franklin told the New York Times in May. “People will argue that race doesn’t matter. But race does matter in America, because of the history, because of slavery.”
“Nia, Cheslie, and Kaliegh: you are trailblazers, creating your own path on your own terms. Congratulations,” Senator Kamala Harris tweeted in May. Now, Tunzi joins the group (defeating Kryst).
Nia, Cheslie, and Kaliegh: you are trailblazers, creating your own path on your own terms. Congratulations. pic.twitter.com/BKlfo75Zw4
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) May 4, 2019
None of the women is the first black woman to wear their particular crown. Vanessa Williams was the first black Miss America in 1984; Carole Gist won Miss USA in 1990; Janel Bishop won Miss Teen USA in 1991; and Janelle Commissiong was crowned Miss Universe in 1977. But on social media, enthusiasm for this particular clean sweep was undeniable.
Even Oprah weighed in, tweeting, “Congratulations Miss South Africa, the new Miss Universe @zozitunzi! Agree with you…leadership is the most powerful thing we should be teaching young women today. We welcome your visit to #OWLAG, our Leadership Academy for Girls 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦.”
Congratulations Miss South Africa, the new Miss Universe @zozitunzi! Agree with you…leadership is the most powerful thing we should be teaching young women today. We welcome your visit to #OWLAG, our Leadership Academy for Girls 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦 https://t.co/YL0NeO40QU
— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) December 9, 2019
a dark skin black woman with short natural hair won not only miss SA but miss universe. the importance of that is not lost on me at all https://t.co/s4VOLIbg2x
— foyin 🍯 (@foyinog) December 9, 2019
The significance of all four women wearing the crowns at the same time was also a much-discussed topic.
THIS MEANS MISS AMERICA, MISS USA, MISS TEEN USA, AND MISS UNIVERSE ARE ALLLL BLACK QUEENS. YAAAAAAAAAA 👑👑👑👑 https://t.co/qydtL7jKUZ
— syd 💫 (@sydneymansaw_) December 9, 2019
For the FIRST time in history, Miss America, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, and Miss Universe are ALL BLACK WOMEN 🙌🏾 pic.twitter.com/wFanq6IZ0q
— Iconic, MPA (@_TrellOfficial) December 9, 2019
With
— DJKae10 (@DJkae10) December 9, 2019
Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi being crowned Miss Universe 2019 , history was made for the first time EVER!! all 4 major Pageant crown went to black Women!!!! That’s so DOPE!!!!!!
Nia Franklin, Miss America; Cheslie Kryst, Miss USA; and Kaliegh Garris, Miss Teen USA 2019 pic.twitter.com/PdCWTS8u1k
Miss USA looks like me!
— Queen_BrownBeauty_♑️ (@MuFasaBrown) December 9, 2019
Miss Teen USA looks like me!!
Miss America LOOKS LIKE ME!!!!
MISS UNIVERSE LOOKS LIKE ME!!!!!
I am so proud of my Queens!!! 🙌🏾🖤 https://t.co/Z8zkd6PWHp
This is yet another example of how much representation matters—in the world of pageants and beyond.
Source: Glamour and YouTube
