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When Miss America returns to the stage in Las Vegas on Jan. 15 with its live broadcast on ABC, it will mark the 90th anniversary, as well as make the American institution the fourth longest running live event in television history. Since 1921, each Miss America has not only been gaining the admiration of millions across the country and globe, she has amassed a plethora of fascinating facts, figures and interesting pop culture nuggets. To mark the return to network television, at least 40 of the 66 living Miss Americas will be at the event, making for the largest single gathering of Miss Americas in history. To commemorate this pivotal milestone, below are 90 interesting past and present facts about Miss America’s rich history:

1. The first Miss America competition was held in 1921.

2. Miss America travels approximately 20,000 miles a month.

3. On average, Miss America changes her location every 18-36 hours.

4. Famed movie star Grace Kelly served as a judge for 1954′s Miss America pageant.

5. The Miss America Pageant is the fourth longest running live event in television history.

6. In 2010, USA Today named Miss America one of the top ten places in the U.S. to find true Americana.

7. A Miss America tradition: the “Show Us Your Shoes” Parade. The parade began in the early 70s in Atlantic City, N.J when a group of parade viewers in bleachers overlooking the boardwalk wanted to get a better look at the shoes the contestants were wearing while traveling the parade route in their convertibles. To their amusement, most of the competitors were wearing slippers or no shoes at all due to the sandy beaches right off the boardwalk.

8. Miss America 2010 Caressa Cameron is the eighth African-American woman to hold the prestigious title. Cameron is also the first African-American among the three Miss Virginia winners to be crowned Miss America.

9. Miss America was nationally televised for the first time in 1954. Bert Parks was hired in 1955, beginning his 25 year reign as Master of Ceremonies of the Miss America Pageant. He introduced the theme song, “There She is” by Bernie Wayne, as Miss America 1956 Sharon Ritchie took her crowning walk down the runway.

10. The first broadcast of Miss America broke viewership records of the day as 27 million viewers tuned in – that’s 39 percent of the television viewing audience.

11. The Miss America Scholarship Fund passed the $250,000 mark in the ’50s.

12. 1959 was the first year every state in the nation was represented in the pageant. It was also the first year the Miss America Parade was televised in its entirety.

13. The most common talents for Miss America contestants are singing or dancing.

14. The first Miss America scholarship was awarded to Miss America 1945 Bess Myerson for the amount of $5,000. The newly crowned Miss America 2011 will receive a $50,000 scholarship.

15. The Golden Mermaid Trophy was awarded to Miss America from 1921-1927

16. Believe it or not, talent wasn’t always a mandatory part of the competition until 1938.

17. The first Miss America was Margaret Gorman. Out of eight contestants, a winner was decided by 50 percent judging and 50 percent audience applause. She was 16.

18. More than 12,000 women participate each year in the local and state events, culminating in the selection of 53 national finalists who vie for the Miss America title.

19. Actress Cloris Leachman competed in the 1946 Miss America Pageant as Miss Chicago.

20. One of the requirements for running for the Miss America title is to be unmarried.

21. The Miss America program awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

22. In 2005 Alabama’s Deidre Downs was the last Miss America crowned in Atlantic City. Downs went on to become a pediatric surgeon and graduated debt free thanks to her Miss America scholarship money.

23. Miss America Phyllis George was the only winner to actually drop her crown on live television in 1971.

24. Miss America announced in 2010 it would return to ABC, signing a multi-year deal.

25. Before the 2010 pageant, “Miss America: Behind the Curtain” aired taking a look inside the competition backstage and offstage with different competitors.

26. Miss Puerto Rico rejoined the Miss America program in 2009 after a nearly 50 year absence.

27. Since the Children’s Miracle Network became Miss America’s national platform in 2007, state and local titleholders have raised nearly five million dollars for the 170 CMN Hospitals throughout the country.

28. In 2006, the pageant moved out of Atlantic City for the first time in Miss America history to Las Vegas.

29. In 2005, the pageant announced a new television agreement with MTV’s Country Music Television network. In addition to the move to CMT, there was a switch in the pageant’s schedule from September to January 21, 2006.

30. Miss America 2002 Katie Harman was featured on The Learning Channel’s “Wedding Story” which broadcasted her wedding.

31. Miss America 2001, Angela Perez Baraquio, attended the State Dinner at the White House given by President George W. Bush in 2003 in honor of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

32. The national judging system was revamped in 2001, resulting in an additional $50,000 in scholarships.

33. Miss Hawaii 2001Angela Perez Baraquio was the first Miss America of Asian-American heritage.

34. The turn of the millennium marked Miss America’s 80th anniversary celebration.

35. In 2000, state and local contestants collectively participated in 12,384 community-service projects, dedicating a total of 571,177 hours and raising millions of dollars for worthy causes.

36. Contestants were permitted to wear 2-piece bathing suits beginning in 1997.

37. In 1995, The Miss America Organization held a poll asking the public whether they thought the Swimsuit competition should be continued – 87 percent voted in favor of the swimsuit portion.

38. In 1997, the Miss America telecast was broadcast on ABC television for the first time since the ’50s.

39. By the 75th anniversary of Miss America in 1995, the organization had become the world’s largest provider of scholarships for young women in the world.

40. In 1994, Heather Whitestone, who is deaf, became the first woman with a disability to be crowned Miss America.

41. In 1992, the movie “Miss America: Behind the Crown” featured the real Miss America 1992 winner Carolyn Sapp.

42. Bert Parks sang “There She Is Miss America” for the final time in 1990 for the pageant’s 70th anniversary.

43. In the ’90s, the pageant was reformed into The Miss America Organization, a not-for-profit corporation with three divisions: the Miss America Pageant, a scholarship fund and the Miss America foundation.

44. Miss America shifted its focus to achievement and introduced the platform program in 1989.

45. In 1984, Vanessa Williams became the first African-American woman to be crowned Miss America.

46. Miss America Elizabeth Ward 1982 wore an evening gown in the competition that was said to have been created from her grandmother’s lace tablecloth.

47. Miss America 1972 Laurel Schaefer sang the national anthem at Richard Nixon’s inauguration.

48. In 1972, Mattel came out with the first Miss America Barbie complete with a crown, sash and cape.

49. Miss America 1971 Phyllis George was crowned during the 50th anniversary.

50. Although the pageant was heavily criticized for the 1967 launch of the “Miss America U.S.O. Troupes” into Vietnam and around the world, the Miss America Organization to this day maintains its support of the U.S. Armed Forces.

51. Miss America 1967 Jane Jayroe performed one of the most memorable talents leading her to victory: she conducted the Miss America orchestra.

52. Miss America 1965 Vonda Van Dyke was the first ventriloquist to appear on the Miss America stage. Another contestant will appear on the Miss America stage Jan. 2010 with that same talent – Miss Arkansas 2010 Alyse Eady.

53. Miss America 1965 Vonda Van Dyke was also the first and only Miss America to win Miss Congeniality and was the first to speak about her faith on national television.

54. Miss America 1964 Donna Axum once dragged an unconscious chaperone to safety while escaping a terrible hotel fire. Donna now sits on the Board of Directors for the Miss America Organization.

55. Prior to competing for the Miss America 1962 title, Maria Beale Fletcher performed with The Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

56. Miss America 1955 Lee Meriwether was the first to be crowned on national television.

57. After her Miss America reign, Lee Meriwether went on to join “The Today Show”; she was nominated for a Golden Globe and Emmy for her role in the popular series “Barnaby Jones” and she played Catwoman in the original “Batman” movie.

58. The first color broadcast of the Miss America Pageant took place in 1966.

59. In 1952, Marilyn Monroe served as Grand Marshal of the Miss America parade in Atlantic City.

60. Beginning in 1950, the winner was named for the following year, so there was never a Miss America 1950.

61. BeBe Shopp, whose crowning as Miss America 1948 in a modest gown, rather than the traditional sexy swimsuit, nearly caused reporters to boycott the pageant, became the first Miss America to travel overseas.

62. In 1945, Bess Myerson became the first college graduate to serve as Miss America.

63. The award for Miss Congeniality began in 1939.

64. Miss America 1939 Jean Bartel raised $2.5 million for Series E war bonds. She also introduced the idea of scholarship awards to the organization.

65. Miss America 1939 Patricia Donnelly was the last Miss America to be crowned on the Steel Pier of Atlantic City. Also, before the end of her reign, Pat was named the First President of the Miss America Sorority – Mu Alpha Sigma – that still exists today.

66. In 1937, Bette Cooper changed her mind about being Miss America and fled Atlantic City before her press conference. No other contestant was crowned Miss America in her absence, though several participants from that year have made claim to the title throughout the decades.

67. California joined the Miss America pageant in 1924.

68. At 17, Ruth Malcomson won a Silver Sea Shell in the amateur division of the 1923 Bather’s Revue. A year later she returned as Miss Philadelphia in the Inter-City contest for the Miss America 1924 title and to face-off against the largest field to date. She narrowly defeated returning champion Mary Katherine Campbell after hours of deliberation.

69. In the early days of Miss America, Mary Katherine Campbell from Ohio won the pageant twice in 1922 and 1923 – the rules have since been changed so that contestants can only compete in the competition once.

70. A special crown was commissioned for the Millennium Miss America. Heather French was the only Miss America to wear a gold crown featuring red rubies.

71. Miss America 1922 Mary Katherine Campbell was the first to receive a crown upon coronation.

72. Miss America has been hosted by several celebrities, actors, actresses and musicians: Bert Perks; Gary Collins; Phyllis George; Regis Philbin; Kathie Lee Gifford; Donnie and Marie Osmond; Tony Danza; Wayne Brady; Tom Bergeron; Chris Harrison; James Denton and Mario Lopez.

73. The personal interview counts for 25 percent of the contestant’s overall score, talent counts for 35 percent, lifestyle and fitness in swimsuit counts for 15 percent, evening wear counts for 20 percent and the onstage question counts for five percent.

74. The personal interview does not take place on a theater stage unlike other portions of the competition, one of the very few parts of the contest not televised.

75. Miss America winners run in this family. Miss America Ruth Malcomson from Pennsylvania had a niece who would become Miss Pennsylvania and a grand-niece who became Miss Delaware.

76. Cheryl Brown was the first African-American to compete in Miss America.

77. There were two Miss America winners crowned at the age of 15: Mary Campbell and Marian Bergeron.

78. In the 20th century, there have been five Miss Americas from Pennsylvania.

79. Miss Illinois 1989 Jeri Ryan landed a career in acting, starring on the television series, “Star Trek: Voyager.”

80. Each year, the Miss America Organization makes available more than $45 million in cash and tuition scholarship assistance.

81. In the 20th century, six Miss America winners have been from California: Fay Lanphier (1925), Rosemary LaPlanche (1941), Jean Bartel (1943), Marilyn Buferd (1946), Lee Meriwether (1955), and Debra Maffett (1983).

82. Miss America 2000 Heather French is the first and only Miss America to have legislation sponsored with her name for the work she does with homeless veterans.

83. Miss America Nicole Johnson has raised more than $30 million for diabetes research.

84. In 2010, Miss New York became the first contestant to run on a platform dedicated to gay rights.

85. Miss California 2010 Arianna Afsar made it to the top 36 of “American Idol.”

86. Miss Delaware 2010 Kayla Martell has lived with alopecia, the condition that results in hair loss, for the past 12 years. Her platform: National Alopecia Areata Foundation.

87. Miss Massachusetts 2010 Loren Galler-Rabinowitz is a Harvard University graduate and former competitive ice skater.

88. Miss Hawaii 2010 Jalee Fuselier has been volunteering since a young age and has done community service in 22 countries.

89. Miss Arizona 2010 Kathryn Bulkley is following in her mother’s footsteps who was Miss Hawaii 1981.

90. Miss Idaho 2010 Kylie Kofoed knows what it means to have a big family – she is the oldest of 10 children and has 300 second cousins on her father’s side.

ABOUT MISS AMERICA
The Miss America Organization is one of the nation’s leading achievement programs and the world’s largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women. Each year, the Miss America Organization makes available more than $45 million in cash and tuition scholarship assistance. For more information, visit www.MissAmerica.org.

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