Las Vegas Sun

June 16, 2024

Year-by-Year list of Miss America winners since 1921

A list of previous Miss Americas. From 1921 through 1949, the date is the year in which the winner was chosen. In 1950, the winner was crowned Miss America 1951, and that practice has continued. The pageant was not held from 1928 to 1932.

There were two women who served as Miss America 1984. Vanessa Williams was crowned Miss America but resigned 10 months later after nude photographs of her were published in Penthouse magazine. She was succeeded by Suzette Charles, who had been first runner-up.

1921, Margaret Gorman, Washington, D.C.

1922, Mary Campbell, Columbus, Ohio

1923, Mary Campbell, Columbus, Ohio.

1924, Ruth Malcomson, Philadelphia, Pa.

1925, Fay Lanphier, Oakland, Calif.

1926, Norma Smallwood, Tulsa, Okla.

1927, Lois Delander, Joliet, Ill.

1933, Marian Bergeron, West Haven, Conn.

1935, Henrietta Leaver, Pittsburgh, Pa.

1936, Rose Coyle, Philadelphia, Pa.

1937, Bette Cooper, Bertrand Island, N.J.

1938, Marilyn Meseke, Marion, Ohio.

1939, Patricia Donnelly, Detroit, Mich.

1940, Frances Burke, Philadelphia, Pa.

1941, Rosemary LaPlanche, Los Angeles, Calif.

1942, Jo-Carroll Dennison, Tyler, Texas.

1943, Jean Bartel, Los Angeles, Calif.

1944, Venus Ramey, Washington, D.C.

1945, Bess Myerson, New York City, N.Y.

1946, Marilyn Buford, Los Angeles, Calif.

1947, Barbara Walker, Memphis, Tenn.

1948, BeBe Shopp, Hopkins, Minn.

1949, Jacque Mercer, Litchfield, Ariz.

1951, Yolande Betbeze, Mobile, Ala.

1952, Colleen Hutchins, Salt Lake City, UT.

1953, Neva Langley, Macon, Ga.

1954, Evelyn Ay, Ephrata, Pa.

1955, Lee Meriwether, San Francisco, Calif.

1956, Sharon Ritchie, Denver, Colo.

1957, Marian McKnight, Manning, S.C.

1958, Marilyn Van Derbur, Denver, Colo.

1959, Mary Ann Mobley, Brandon, Miss.

1960, Lynda Mead, Natchez, Miss.

1961, Nancy Fleming, Montague, Mich.

1962, Maria Fletcher, Asheville, N.C.

1963, Jacquelyn Mayer, Sandusky, Ohio.

1964, Donna Axum, El Dorado, Ark.

1965, Vonda Van Dyke, Phoenix, Ariz.

1966, Deborah Bryant, Overland Park, Kan.

1967, Jane Jayroe, Laverne, Okla.

1968, Debra Barnes, Pittsburg, Kan.

1969, Judith Ford, Belvidere, Ill.

1970, Pamela Eldred, West Bloomfield, Mich.

1971, Phyllis George, Denton, Texas.

1972, Laurel Lea Schaefer, Bexley, Ohio.

1973, Terry Meeuwsen, De Pere, Wis.

1974, Rebecca King, Denver, Colo.

1975, Shirley Cothran, Denton, Texas.

1976, Tawny Godin, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

1977, Dorothy Benham, Edina, Minn.

1978, Susan Perkins, Columbus, Ohio.

1979, Kylene Barker, Roanoke, Va.

1980, Cheryl Prewitt, Ackerman, Miss.

1981, Susan Powell, Elk City, Okla.

1982, Elizabeth Ward, Russellville, Ark.

1983, Debra Maffett, Anaheim, Calif.

1984, Vanessa Williams, Millwood, N.Y., Sept. 17, 1983 through July 23, 1984.

1984, Suzette Charles, Mays Landing, N.J., July 23, 1984 through Sept. 15, 1984.

1985, Sharlene Wells, Salt Lake City, Utah.

1986, Susan Akin, Meridian, Miss.

1987, Kellye Cash, Memphis, Tenn.

1988, Kaye Lani Rae Rafko, Monroe, Mich.

1989, Gretchen Carlson, Anoka, Minn.

1990, Debbye Turner, Columbia, Mo.

1991, Marjorie Vincent, Oak Park, Ill.

1992, Carolyn Sapp, Honolulu, Hawaii.

1993, Leanza Cornett, Jacksonville, Fla.

1994, Kimberly Clarice Aiken, Columbia, S.C.

1995, Heather Whitestone, Birmingham, Ala.

1996, Shawntel Smith, Muldrow, Okla.

1997, Tara Dawn Holland, Overland Park, Kan.

1998, Kate Shindle, Evanston, Ill.

1999, Nicole Johnson, Virginia Beach, Va.

2000, Heather French, Maysville, Ky.

2001, Angela Perez Baraquio, Honolulu, Hawaii.

2002, Katie Harman, Gresham, Ore.

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