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For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss Mississippi USA.
Miss Mississippi
Formation1934
TypeBeauty pageant
HeadquartersVicksburg
Location
MembershipMiss America
Official language
English
WebsiteOfficial website

Miss Mississippi is a scholarship pageant and a preliminary of Miss America. The contest began in 1934, has been held in Vicksburg since 1958, and provides more money than any other scholarship pageant in the Miss America Organization.

Four Miss Mississippis have won the Miss America crown: Mary Ann Mobley (1959), Lynda Lee Mead (1960), Cheryl Prewitt (1980), and Susan Akin (1986).

The current titleholder is Becky Williams of Purvis, who was crowned Miss Mississippi 2024 on June 8, 2024 at the Vicksburg Convention Center in Vicksburg, Mississippi. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2025.

[edit]
  • Carolyn Cochran, Miss Mississippi 1955
    Carolyn Cochran,
    Miss Mississippi 1955
  • Mary Ann Mobley, Miss Mississippi 1958 and Miss America 1959
    Mary Ann Mobley,
    Miss Mississippi 1958 and Miss America 1959
  • Lynda Lee Mead, Miss Mississippi 1959 and Miss America 1960
    Lynda Lee Mead,
    Miss Mississippi 1959 and Miss America 1960
  • Miss Mississippi 1960, Patricia McRaney, crowning Miss Mississippi 1961, Annice Jernigan
    Miss Mississippi 1960, Patricia McRaney, crowning Miss Mississippi 1961, Annice Jernigan
  • Charlotte Ann Carroll, Miss Mississippi 1962
    Charlotte Ann Carroll,
    Miss Mississippi 1962
  • Jan Nave, Miss Mississippi 1963
    Jan Nave,
    Miss Mississippi 1963
  • Patricia Puckett, Miss Mississippi 1965
    Patricia Puckett,
    Miss Mississippi 1965
  • Robbie Robertson, Miss Mississippi 1966
    Robbie Robertson,
    Miss Mississippi 1966
  • Susan Akin, Miss Mississippi 1985 and Miss America 1986
    Susan Akin,
    Miss Mississippi 1985 and Miss America 1986
  • Toni Seawright, Miss Mississippi 1987
    Toni Seawright,
    Miss Mississippi 1987
  • Kimberly Morgan, Miss Mississippi 2007
    Kimberly Morgan,
    Miss Mississippi 2007
  • Chelsea Rick, Miss Mississippi 2013
    Chelsea Rick,
    Miss Mississippi 2013
  • Jasmine Murray, Miss Mississippi 2014
    Jasmine Murray,
    Miss Mississippi 2014

Results summary

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The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Mississippi titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.

Placements

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  • Miss Americas: Mary Ann Mobley (1959), Lynda Lee Mead (1960), Cheryl Prewitt (1980), Susan Akin (1986)
  • 1st runners-up: Katherine Wright (1949), Patricia Puckett (1966), Joan Myers (1968), Hannah Roberts (2016)
  • 2nd runners-up: Donna Pope (1981) (tie), Dianne Evans (1983), Kathy Manning (1985), Myra Barginear (1998)
  • 3rd runners-up: Christine McClamroch (1971), Wanda Geddie (1984), Christy May (2001), Taryn Foshee (2007)
  • 4th runners-up: Suzanne Dugger (1954), Toni Seawright (1988), Mary Allison Hurdle (1992), Laura Lee Lewis (2017)
  • Top 10: Charlotte Ann Carroll (1963), Karen Hopson (1982), Kimberly McGuffee (1987), Carla Haag (1989), Rebecca Blouin (1995), Monica Louwerens (1996), Kari Litton (1997), Jennifer Adcock (2003), Jasmine Murray (2015)
  • Top 15: Laurice McFarland (1925), Jessie Morgan (1952), Chelsea Rick (2014)
  • Top 16: Kimberly Morgan (2008)
  • Top 18: Dorothy Ely (1933)
  • Top 20: Becky Pruett (2002)

Awards

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Preliminary awards

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Non-finalist awards

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  • Non-finalist Talent: Lennie Nobles (1946), Patricia McRaney (1961), Robbie Robertson (1967), Lenena Holder (1994), Heather Soriano (2000), Sarah Beth James (2011), Marie Wicks (2013)

Other awards

[edit]

Winners

[edit]
  •   Declared as winner
  •   Ended as a runner-up 0
  •   Ended as a finalist or semi-finalist
Year Name Hometown Age Local Title Miss America Talent Placement at Miss America Special scholarships at Miss America Notes
2024 Becky Williams[1] Purvis 22 Miss Capital City Dance TBA TBA
2023 Vivian O'Neal[2] Hattiesburg 25 Miss Pine Belt Dance Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award [3]
2022 Emmie Perkins[4] Hattiesburg 21 Miss Mississippi State University Vocal Jean Bartel Social Impact Initiative Scholarship
2021 Holly Brand[5] Meridian 21 Miss Golden Triangle Vocal Jean Bartel Social Impact Initiative Finalist

Non-Finalist Talent Award 		Previously Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen 2017[6]

Semi-finalist on Season 23 of The Voice [7]

2019–20[a] Mary Margaret Hyer[8][10] Hattiesburg 23 Miss Riverbend Classical Vocal, "Queen of the Night aria" from The Magic Flute
2018 Asya Branch[11] Booneville 20 Miss Tupelo Vocal, "The Impossible Dream" from Man of La Mancha Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up Later Miss Mississippi USA 2020[12]
Later Miss USA 2020[13]
Top 21 at Miss Universe 2020 pageant
2017 Anne Elizabeth Buys[14][15] Vicksburg 21 Miss Vicksburg Ballet en pointe, "Viva" by Bond Quality of Life Award Finalist[16] Previously Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen 2013[17]

Cousin is married to Miss Mississippi 2009, Anna Tadlock[18]

Later 4th runner-up at Miss Mississippi USA 2021[19]
2016 Laura Lee Lewis[20] Brookhaven 23 Miss Dixie Vocal, "A Piece of Sky" from Yentl 4th runner-up[21] Quality of Life Award Finalist[22] Previously Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen 2009[23]

3rd runner-up at National Sweetheart 2014 pageant

Duke of Edinburgh's Award gold medalist[citation needed]
2015 Hannah Roberts[24] Mount Olive 22 Miss University of Southern Mississippi Classical Violin, "Zapateado, No. 2, Opus 23" 1st runner-up Louanne Gamba Instrumentalist Scholarship

Quality of Life Award Finalist

STEM Scholarship Award 		Previously Distinguished Young Woman of Mississippi 2011
2nd runner-up at Distinguished Young Woman of America 2011 competition[citation needed]
2014 Jasmine Murray[25] Columbus 22 Miss Riverland Vocal, "Something's Got a Hold on Me" Top 10 Quality of Life Award Finalist Previously Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen 2007[26]
Top 10 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2008 pageant

American Idol Season 8 Finalist[27]

3rd African American to be crowned Miss Mississippi[citation needed]
2013 Chelsea Rick Fulton 23 Miss Amory Railroad Festival Vocal, "Can't Help Lovin' That Man" Top 15 Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award

STEM Scholarship Award
2012 Marie Wicks Ocean Springs 22 Miss Dixie Piano, "Moonlight Sonata 3rd Movement" Non-finalist Talent Award
2011 Mary Margaret Roark[28] Cleveland 20 Miss North Central Mississippi Piano, "Nostradamus" by Tonci Huljic
2010 Sarah Beth James Madison 20 Miss Metro Jackson Piano, "Piano Fantasy" by William Joseph Non-finalist Talent Award
2009 Anna Tadlock McCool 23 Miss New South Vocal, "A New Life" from Jekyll & Hyde Married cousin of Miss Mississippi 2017, Anne Elizabeth Buys[18]
2008 Christine Kozlowski D'Iberville 19 Miss Gulf Coast Jazz Dance Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award First Latina to be crowned Miss Mississippi[29]
2007 Kimberly Morgan[30] Oxford 24 Miss Heritage Vocal, "God Bless the Child" Top 16 Second African American to be crowned Miss Mississippi[citation needed]
2006 Taryn Foshee Clinton 21 Miss Byram Tri County Piano, "El Cumbanchero" by Rafael Hernández Marín 3rd runner-up
2005 Kristian Dambrino Grenada 20 Miss Grenada County Original Vocal & Piano Composition, "Pearlington's Prayer"
2004 Jalin Wood Waynesboro 23 Miss Metro Jackson Piano, "Cumana" Later Miss Mississippi USA 2007
2003 Allison Kellogg Madison 22 Miss Madison County Ballet en Pointe, "The Firebird" Quality of Life finalist Previously Mississippi's Junior Miss 1999

Top 8

2002 Jennifer Adcock Hattiesburg 22 Miss West Central Mississippi Piano, Rhapsody in Blue Top 10 Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Previously Mississippi's Junior Miss 1998
Later Miss Mississippi USA 2005
Top 10 at Miss USA 2005 pageant
2001 Becky Pruett Laurel 22 Miss Deep South Vocal, "Whatever Lola Wants" Top 20 Preliminary Talent Award

Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up
2000 Christy May Pontotoc 24 Miss Pontotoc Piano, "Theme from The Apartment" 3rd runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
1999 Heather Soriano Philadelphia 22 Miss East Central Mississippi Vocal / Dance, "Trouble" from Smokey Joe's Cafe Non-finalist Talent Award Later Miss Mississippi USA 2002
1998 Melinda King Waynesboro 22 Miss Hattiesburg Vocal, "I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)"
1997 Myra Barginear Grenada 23 Miss West Central Classical Vocal. "Una Voce Poco Fa"' from The Barber of Seville 2nd runner-up Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship
1996 Kari Litton Pontotoc 23 Miss New South Vocal, "Cry" Top 10
1995 Monica Louwerens Greenville 21 Miss Magnolia Vocal, "Vanilla Ice Cream" from She Loves Me Top 10 Rembrandt Award for Mentorship
1994 Rebecca Blouin Batesville 23 Miss Dixieland Classical Vocal, "Quando me'n vò" Top 10
1993 Lenena Holder Booneville 24 Miss Magnolia Classical Vocal, "Un Bel Di" from Madama Butterfly Non-finalist Talent Award

Preliminary Talent Award
1992 Kandace Williams Tupelo 23 Miss Tupelo Vocal, "Ain't It Good" from Children of Eden
1991 Mary Allison Hurdle Holly Springs 24 Miss DeSoto County Classical Vocal, "Chi Il Bel Sogno di Doretta" from La rondine 4th runner-up
1990 Beth Howell Clinton 21 Miss Dixie Magic Act Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Previously Mississippi's Junior Miss 1987
1989 Cherry Busby Tupelo 19 Miss Tupelo Vocal, "My Funny Valentine"
1988 Carla Haag Hattiesburg 23 Miss Dixie Vocal Medley, "Here's to the Band" & "Alexander's Ragtime Band" Top 10 Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Previously Mississippi's Junior Miss 1983
1987 Toni Seawright Moss Point 23 Miss Mississippi University for Women Popular Vocal, "I'm Going All the Way" 4th runner-up First African American to be crowned Miss Mississippi[31]
1986 Kimberly McGuffee Mendenhall 23 Miss Lamar County Popular Vocal, "Inseparable" Top 10
1985 Nan Sumrall Hattiesburg Miss Hattiesburg Did not compete; later assumed the title after Akin won Miss America 1986
Later known as Nan Kelley, host on Great American Country TV[citation needed]
Susan Akin Meridian 21 Miss University Vocal, "You're My World" Winner Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
1984 Kathy Manning Drew 22 Miss University of Mississippi Country Vocal, "Crazy" 2nd runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Later Miss Mississippi USA 1987
Top 10 at Miss USA 1987 pageant

Katharine Clare Manning Loeb died at 59 on December 23, 2021, of COVID-19 related illness in Tennessee.

1983 Wanda Geddie Hattiesburg 24 Miss William Carey College Vocal, "More Than You Know" 3rd runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
1982 Dianne Evans Taylorsville 22 Vocal, "Stormy Weather" 2nd runner-up Preliminary Talent Award
1981 Karen Hopson Vicksburg 21 Miss Vicksburg Character Ballet en Pointe, "Overture" from Annie Top 10 Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
1980 Donna Pope McNeil 24 Miss Picayune Ballet, "Overture" from Oklahoma! 2nd runner-up (tie) Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
1979 Sherye Simmons Jackson Did not compete; later assumed the title after Prewitt won Miss America 1980
Cheryl Prewitt Ackerman 22 Miss Starkville Vocal / Piano, "Don't Cry Out Loud" Winner Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
1978 Cheri Brown Meridian 21 Miss Oxford Popular Vocal, "Evergreen" Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award (tie) Later Miss Mississippi USA 1980
1977 Mary Donnelly Oxford 19 Miss University Vocal, "The Good Songs" Wife of former Miss America Chairman of the Board, Sam Haskell[citation needed]
1976 Bobbye Wood Hattiesburg 19 Miss William Carey College Vocal, "Starting Here, Starting Now"
1975 Mollie Magee Mendenhall 19 Miss University of Southern Mississippi Popular Vocal, "Lights on the Hill" Contestant at Miss Teenage America 1972 pageant
1974 Diane Bounds Gulfport 21 Miss Mississippi State University Popular Vocal, "When You Smile"
1973 Kathleen Coole 19 Miss Mississippi State College for Women Vocal Medley, "Everything's Alright" & "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar
1972 Glenda Meadows Richton 23 Miss Richton Vocal Medley, "Am I Blue?" & "I'd Rather Be Blue"
1971 Jennifer Blair Tupelo 21 Miss Mississippi State University Popular Vocal, "I Wish You Love"
1970 Christine McClamroch Columbus 21 Miss Columbus Vocal Medley, "Cabaret," "Try to Remember," & "You'll Never Walk Alone" 3rd runner-up
1969 Jane Foshee Hattiesburg 19 Miss Hattiesburg Vocal / Soft Shoe Dance, "Makin' Whoopee" Previously Mississippi's Junior Miss 1967
1968 Mary Mills McComb 19 Miss University of Southern Mississippi Piano Comedy Presentation, "Habanera" & "La Poupée Valsante" by Fritz Kreisler
1967 Joan Myers Forest 20 Miss Mississippi College Speech & Display of Original Art, "Doctor Zhivago" 1st runner-up
1966 Robbie Robertson Hattiesburg 20 Miss University of Southern Mississippi Dramatic Reading, "Adam Bede" by George Eliot Non-finalist Talent Award
1965 Patricia Puckett Columbus 20 Miss Columbus Vocal, "I Ain't Down Yet" from The Unsinkable Molly Brown 1st runner-up Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Featured performer on the Miss America 1967 telecast
1964 Judy Simono Vicksburg 20 Miss Vicksburg Classical Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty by Tchaikovsky
1963 Jan Nave McComb Miss Mississippi State College for Women Contemporary Dance
1962 Charlotte Ann Carroll Walthall 19 Miss Eupora Comedy Song & Dance Routine, "Olive Oyl" Top 10 Preliminary Talent Award
1961 Annice Jernigan New Albany 21 Miss University of Mississippi Piano Medley
1960 Patricia McRaney McComb 20 Miss McComb Speech & Art Presentation Non-finalist Talent Award
1959 Betty Porter Brookhaven Did not compete; later assumed the title after Mead won Miss America 1960
Lynda Lee Mead Natchez 20 Miss University Original Dramatic Act, "Schizophrenia" Winner
1958 Margie Wilson Itta Bena Did not compete; later assumed the title after Mobley won Miss America 1959
Mary Ann Mobley Brandon 21 Vocal Medley & Dance, "Un Bel Di" & "There'll Be Some Changes Made" Winner Preliminary Talent Award
1957 Mary Allen Yazoo City Dance & Art Presentation
1956 Martha Tisdale Hattiesburg Drama
1955 Carolyn Cochran Lucedale Dramatic Monologue
1954 Celeste Luckett Clarksdale Drama
1953 Suzanne Dugger Picayune Vocal Medley & Dance, "Bill" & "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey" 4th runner-up
1952 Dora Livingston Yazoo City
1951 Jessie Morgan Newton Ballet Top 15
1950 Annie Roberts Hattiesburg
1949 Katherine Wright Pascagoula Dramatic Sketch, "Hagar" 1st runner-up
1948 Virginia Hollingsworth Kosciusko
1947 Kitty Bailey Oxford Painting
1946 Lennie Nobles Greenwood Dance Non-finalist Talent Award & Best Dancer Award Later known as Josephine Nobles Giacketti, she died at 92 in Albertson, N.Y. on March 2, 2019.
1945 Harriet Carr Marks Stand-up Comedy
1944 Sarah Topp Tupelo
1943 Arminta Scott Corinth
1942 Dorothy Fox Columbus Miss Congeniality
1941 Madeline Smith[32] Winona
1940 Carolyn Simon Greenville
1939 Doris Coggins Baldwyn Miss Congeniality
1938 Frances Sykes Aberdeen
1937 Virginia Riley West Point
1936 Rachel Smith Booneville
1935 LeFrance Boyett Sumner
1934 Madolyn Hardy Belzoni No national pageant was held[33]
1933 Dorothy Ely 24 Top 18
1932 No national pageants were held[33]
1931
1930
1929
1928
1927 Phyllis Hunt Miss Biloxi Competed under local title at Miss America pageant
1926 Mabel Riley
1925 Laurice McFarland Miss Biloxi Top 15
1924 Vivian Ruth Shaddinger Miss Biloxi Multiple Mississippi representatives

Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant
Mabel Batson Miss Jackson
1923 No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant[34][35][36]
1922
1921

Notes

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  1. ^ Titleholder extended to another full year in 2020 after state and national pageants postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic[8][9]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Purvis native crowned 91st Miss Mississippi
  2. ^ Miss Pine Belt crowned 2023 Miss Mississippi
  3. ^ Miss Mississippi wins Fitness Preliminary Competition Wednesday night
  4. ^ ‘It’s surreal’: Miss Mississippi Emmie Perkins reflects on competition week, win
  5. ^ Szymanowska, Gabriela. "Miss Mississippi 2021: Miss Golden Triangle Holly Brand crowned winner". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved 2021-06-28.
  6. ^ "Holly Brand chosen Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen". www.wtok.com. May 2017. Retrieved 2021-06-28.
  7. ^ The road ends for former Miss Mississippi Holly Brand on The Voice
  8. ^ a b Ciurczak, Ellen (May 8, 2020). "Miss Mississippi will reign for second year following pageant cancellation amid pandemic". Clarion Ledger. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  9. ^ Kuperinksy, Amy (May 8, 2020). "Miss America postpones pageant until 2021, N.J. pageant still set for September". Press of Atlantic City.
  10. ^ "Miss Mississippi 2019: Mary Margaret Hyer of Hattiesburg wins crown". Clarion Ledger. June 22, 2019.
  11. ^ "Asya Branch, Miss Tupelo, crowned Miss Mississippi". Clarion Ledger. June 23, 2018.
  12. ^ McWilliams, Adam (October 27, 2019). "Former Miss Mississippi Asya Branch wins Miss Mississippi USA 2020". WAPT.
  13. ^ DeSantis, Rachel (November 10, 2020). "Mississippi's Asya Branch Wins Miss USA 2020". People.
  14. ^ Miss Vicksburg Anne Elizabeth Buys crowned Miss Mississippi
  15. ^ Frazier, Terri Cowart (June 24, 2017). "Buys named Miss Mississippi". The Vicksburg Post.
  16. ^ Frazier, Terry Cowart (August 31, 2017). "Miss Mississippi's platform recognized at Miss America pageant". The Vicksburg Post.
  17. ^ Apel, Therese (June 25, 2017). "Miss Mississippi finds inspiration in family, faith". The Clarion-Ledger. Buys then went on to win the crown of Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen in 2013,...
  18. ^ a b Apel, Therese (June 25, 2017). "Miss Mississippi finds inspiration in family, faith". The Vicksburg Post.
  19. ^ Cowart Frazier, Terri (March 12, 2021). "Branch focusing on Miss Universe as she crowns next Miss Mississippi USA". Vicksburg Post. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  20. ^ "3 time runner-up from Brookhaven wins Miss Mississippi crown". Washington Times. 26 June 2016.
  21. ^ "Miss America 2017 is: Miss Arkansas Savvy Shields". USATODAY. September 11, 2016.
  22. ^ "Miss America 2017 will be one of these 52 contestants". AL.com. September 6, 2016.
  23. ^ Campbell, Donna (June 22, 2017). "Laura Lee Lewis' reign comes to an end". The Daily Leader. She was crowned Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen in 2009...
  24. ^ Threadgill, Jacob (June 28, 2015). "Miss USM crowned Miss Mississippi". The Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, MS: Gannett. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  25. ^ 12:51 p.m. CDT July 13, 2014 (2014-07-13). "Jasmine Murray crowned Miss Mississippi". Clarionledger.com. Retrieved 2016-05-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  26. ^ Watkins, Billy (2009-02-24). "A star in the making? 3 Miss. cities happily lay claim to 'Idol' contestant Murray". Clarion Ledger. [dead link‍]
  27. ^ "Black TV Ratings for Week of March 16–22". Target Market News. 2009-05-21. Archived from the original on 2009-03-31. Retrieved 2018-02-24.
  28. ^ "Mary Margaret Roark reigns in state pageant". Clarion Ledger. July 2, 2011.
  29. ^ http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080628/FEAT0701/80628016&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL[permanent dead link‍]
  30. ^ "Alcorn State Alumna Kimberly Morgan Becomes Miss Mississippi 2007". Weekly Bulletin Online. Alcorn State University. August 2, 2007. Archived from the original on November 20, 2008.
  31. ^ "Black Is Miss Mississippi". The New York Times. July 20, 1987.
  32. ^ "Miss Delaware to Give Atlantic City Beauties Run for U. S. Honors". Wilmington, Delaware: The Morning News. September 4, 1941.
  33. ^ a b "Miss America Timeline: 1901–1950". PBS. Archived from the original on 2017-02-15. Retrieved 2019-10-12.
  34. ^ "1923 Candidates". Miss America. 28 June 2018.
  35. ^ "1922 Candidates". Miss America. 28 June 2018.
  36. ^ "1921 Candidates". Miss America. 28 June 2018.
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