Wikipedia

Miss America 1951

Miss America 1951, the 24th Miss America pageant, was held at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 9, 1950. Traditionally, since a majority of Miss America's reign occurred during the year following her coronation, the pageant referred to her title with the upcoming year. Thus, Yolande Betbeze, who was crowned in September 1950, was called Miss America 1951. This practice continued until 2006, when pageant activities moved from September to January. From that point, the title year aligned with the year in which the titleholder won. This change also occurred recently in 2024, and it marked the transition from Atlantic City, the pageant's long-time base, to its new home in Las Vegas, Nevada.[1][2][3][4]

Miss America 1951
DateSeptember 9, 1950 (1950-09-09)
PresentersBob Russell
VenueBoardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Entrants54
Placements16
WinnerYolande Betbeze
Alabama
← 1949
1952 →

Results

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Placements

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Placement Contestant
Miss America 1951
1st Runner-Up
2nd Runner-Up
3rd Runner-Up
4th Runner-Up
Top 16

Awards

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Preliminary awards

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Awards Contestant
Lifestyle and Fitness
Talent

Other awards

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Awards Contestant
Miss Congeniality
  •   Hawaii - Dell'finn Kalaupaona Poaha

Contestants

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Title Name Hometown Age Talent Placement Awards Notes
  Alabama Yolande Betbeze Mobile 21 Classical Vocal, "Caro Nome" from Rigoletto Winner Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness Award Betbeze's refusal to pose in a swimsuit after her win lead to the pull-out of swimsuit sponsor Catalina & ultimately the creation of the Miss USA pageant
  Alaska Maxine Cothern Fairbanks Speech, "Alaska"
  Arizona Kathryn Lunsford Phoenix Modern Dance
  Arkansas Mary Jennings Hot Springs Classical Vocal, "Un Bel Dì" from Madama Butterfly 3rd Runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness Award Was a featured soprano with the New York City Opera


Judged the Miss America 1989 and Miss America 1991 pageants

  California Joanne Durant San Diego Vocal/Poetry Recitation, "Alice Blue Gown" Top 16 Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness Award
  Canada Margaret Eleanore Bradford Windsor
  Chicago Marjorie Adams Chicago Monologue, "To the Lovely Margaret" Top 16
  Colorado Barbara Norrish Longmont Violin
  Connecticut Renee Roy Hartford Comedy Sketch of a Cosmetic Demonstration and Vocal/Dance, "Charley, My Boy" Top 16 Preliminary Talent Award Later Miss New York City USA 1954
  Delaware Lorna Edwardson Dover Classical Vocal, "Un Bel Dì" from Madama Butterfly
  District of Columbia Sandra Stahl 21 Classical Vocal, "The Bell Song" from Lakmé Top 16 Preliminary Talent Award
  Florida Janet Ruth Crockett St. Petersburg Vocal & Pantomime from The Perils of Pauline 2nd Runner-up
  Georgia Louise Thomas Fitzgerald
Greater Philadelphia Janice Murray Philadelphia Classical Vocal, '''O Don Fatale" from Don Carlos Top 16
  Hawaii Dell'Finn Kala'upaona Po'aha Honolulu Miss Congeniality
  Idaho Barbara Norton Burley Vocal, "A Heart That's Free" from Two Weeks with Love
  Illinois Catherine Kleinschmidt Granite City Vocal, "Come to the Fair"
  Indiana Pat Berry Indianapolis Vocal, "I'm Falling in Love with Someone" from Naughty Marietta
  Iowa Mary Virginia Lines Clarinda 18 Piano/Marimba, "Stardust"
  Kansas Anabel Baker Wichita Dramatic Monologue from Macbeth
  Kentucky Mary Louise Osborne Wheelwright Drama
  Louisiana Rowena Taliaferro Winnsboro
  Maine Jane Harragan Millinocket Dramatic Monologue, "The Corn is Green"
  Maryland Ann Uri Baltimore Vocal/Piano
  Massachusetts Britta Berg Boston
  Michigan Bette Lou Pittman Owosso Monologue, "I Like Americans"
  Minnesota Jeanne Traun Minneapolis Vocal
  Mississippi Annie Roberts Hattiesburg
  Missouri Beverly Rotroff Kansas City Vocal/Piano
  Montana Donna Marie Buls Missoula
  Nebraska Jinx Burrus Crete Baton Twirling
  Nevada Tosca Masini Sparks Comedy Characterization Top 16
  New Hampshire Betty Laurie Concord
  New Jersey June Stephens Ship Bottom Comic Sketch, "The Older Set" Top 16
  New Mexico Martha Rose Wilson Santa Fe
  New York Marilyn Reynolds Syracuse Vocal, "I'll Take Romance"
  New York City Phyllis Battleson New York City Classical Vocal, "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" Top 16
  North Carolina Carolyn Edwards Leaksville Monologue, "Rumba" by Dorothy Parker Top 16
  North Dakota Joan Teets Minot Comedy Monologue, "Touch of Norway" Non-finalist Talent Award
  Ohio Irene Farren Grand River Fashion Design
  Oklahoma Louise O'Brien Tulsa Vocal, "'Twas Only an Irishman's Dream" 4th Runner-up
  Oregon Elizabeth Ann Baker Monmouth Classical Piano, Clair de Lune
  Pennsylvania Emilie Longacre Phoenixville Vocal, "You're My Everything"
  Puerto Rico Evangelina Moragón
  South Carolina Carolyn Fowler Lyman 17 Vocal, "Why Don't You Fall in Love with Me"
  South Dakota Irene O'Connor Burbank Dramatic Monologue, "Dedication of the White Armor" from Saint Joan 1st Runner-up Preliminary Talent Award
  Tennessee Greta Graham Memphis Organ, "Tico-Tico no Fubá"
  Texas Margaret Sommers Dallas Classical Vocal, "Jealousy" Top 16
  Utah Joanne Hinard Provo East Indian Dance
  Vermont Eleanor Kangas Springfield
  Virginia Gloria Fenderson Petersburg
  Washington Karlyne Abele Des Moines Dramatic Reading, "The Flag" Top 16
  Wisconsin Gloria Lange Milwaukee 20 Operatic Vocal, "Donkey Serenade" from The Firefly
  Wyoming Lenore Hoffman Cheyenne

References

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  1. ^ United Press International (1950-09-11). "Miss America Would Rather Go To School Than Get Married". El Paso Herald-Post. p. 10.
  2. ^ Associated Press (1950-09-11). "Brown-Haired Alabama Beauty Wins Miss America Crown". Portland Press Herald. p. 1.
  3. ^ Associated Press (2005-08-26). "There She Isn't: Miss America Pageant Leaves Atlantic City". New York Times.
  4. ^ "1950 Yolande Betbeze". Archived from the original on 2010-10-11. Retrieved 2010-08-29.

Secondary sources

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  • Saulino Osborne, Angela (1995). "Miss Americas and their Courts". Miss America The Dream Lives On. Taylor Publishing Company. ISBN 0-87833-110-7.
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