Mrs. America (contest)


Mrs. America Pageant is a beauty competition that was established to honor married women throughout the United States of America. Each of the contestants representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia range in age from their 20s to 50s and earns the right to participate in the national event by winning her state competition. These state events are under the direction of Mrs. America state directors. The winner goes on to compete in the Mrs. World pageant.
Mrs. America, Inc., celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2016. The pageant has been televised on networks including PAX and WE ; in May 2011, it was carried by the My Family TV network.
On August 29, 2014, the pageant was held in Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona. The pageant moved to its original pageant home, Las Vegas - Westgate Resort, Hotel and Casino.
During the 2014 pageant, Mrs. America, Inc., announced that it would be participating in a joint Russian-American contest to be held in Sevastopol, Crimea. This has caused some controversy, since Crimea is recognized by most countries in the world as Ukrainian territory that has been annexed by Russia. The 2015 joint pageant was supposed to mark the 25th anniversary of a joint U.S.-Soviet Mrs. America contest held in Moscow in 1989 to foster good will between the two countries; however, organizers announced that due to the devaluation of the ruble against the American dollar, the pageant would have to find a new site.
The Mrs. America 2020 Pageant was held on August 24, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The current titleholder is Natalie Winslow of Nevada.

Events

1993: Verna Martin, Mrs. District of Columbia, on Wednesday, May 12, 1993 the designation of Mrs. Washington, DC – America 1993 was conferred upon Verna Martin by the Mrs. America Pageant selection committee.
She is the first African American contestant to win her state title.
2004: Traci Clemens, Mrs. Rhode Island, competed while six months pregnant with twins. She was the first visibly pregnant woman to compete in the nationally televised event. Traci Clemens is also the first African American contestant to win her state title. Traci has made double pageant history.

Titleholders

Titleholders are designated by year of title/reign; competitions are held the preceding fall.
Title YearNameStatePlacement at Mrs. WorldNotes
1977Ruth Johnson California
1978Cindy Roberts Alaska
1979Carrie Gabriel Strom New Jersey
1980Carol Anne McEwen Texas
1981Paddy Boyd Argovitz Louisiana
1982Rhonda McGeeney Texas
1983Susan Goodman Tennessee
1984Deborah Wolfe West Virginia1st runner upMother of Miss West Virginia Teen USA 2004 Mary Ellen Wolfe, and made top 10 in Miss America 1980
1985Donna Russell Mississippi
1986Cynthia Amann Florida
1987Pamela Nail MississippiMrs. World
1987Suzy Katz CaliforniaN/AOriginally 1st runner-up to Pamela Nail in 1987, ascended to Mrs. America when Pamela Nail won Mrs. World
1988Jennifer Kline Minnesota2nd runner-up
1989Jennifer Johnson Oklahoma
1990
No Mrs. America representative that year
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1991Kristianna Nichols Indiana
1992Dr. Doris Martineaux Dalton Pennsylvania
1993Keyna Baucom North Carolina
1994Wendy Lewis Texas
1995Kimberly Brasher Oklahoma1st runner upMs Idaho
1996Cynthia Pensiero Ohio
1997Lisa Lilenthal New York
1998Renee Cairns Florida
1999Starla Stanley UtahMrs. World
1999Stacy Willis AlabamaN/AOriginally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when Starla Stanley won Mrs. World
2000Leslie Lam Hawaii
2001Nicole Brink IndianaMrs. WorldPreviously Miss Indiana Teen USA 1992 and Miss Indiana USA 1998 under her maiden name, Nicole Llewellyn.
2001Laurett Ellsworth Arenz VirginiaN/AOriginally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when Nicole Brink won Mrs. World. Went on to host a National financial radio program: HERO'S Talk Radio, Freedom Financial Network and write an award-winning book: The RAFT Strategy: How to Build Your Tax-Free Nest Egg Without Risk
2002Kristi Phillips Alabama3rd runner upWas Mrs. America®, Mrs. Congeniality and the TRIMSPA Dream Body Winner.
2003Heidi Dinan Missouri
2004Julie Love-Templeton Alabama3rd runner up
2005Andrea Pruess CaliforniaPreviously Miss Virginia Teen USA 1992 & Miss Virginia 1995 under her maiden name, Andrea Ballengee. Mrs. United States 2003. Filmed for television at the Palm Springs Riviera Resort & Racquet Club in Palm Springs, California
2006Diane Tucker ArizonaMrs. World
2006Marney Duckworth ColoradoN/AOriginally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when Diane Tucker won Mrs. World. Previously Miss Nebraska Teen USA 1992 under her maiden name Marney Monson
2007Kelly McBee WyomingTop 10
2008Dana Lind Florida
2009Andrea Robertson Missouri
2010Shelley Carbone Connecticut
2011April Lufriu FloridaMrs. WorldFirst-generation American
2011Lara Leimana Fonoimoana HawaiiOriginally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when April Lufriu won Mrs. World
2012Vicki Sarber AlaskaFormerly Miss Alaska American Coed 1992-Placed 2nd Runner-Up at National Competition in Honolulu, Hawaii. 1990 Miss Alaska Teen of the Year. Placed 1st Runner Up at National Competition in New Orleans, La.
2013Austen Williams TexasN/APreviously Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2002
Was unable to compete in Mrs. World
2013Kaley Sparling IdahoMrs. WorldNamed 1st runner-up in 2013 Mrs. America pageant
Competed in place of Williams at Mrs. World 2013 pageant
2014Michelle Nicole Evans Oklahoma
2015Madeline Gwin AlabamaFormer Miss Alabama USA 2011 and 2nd runner up for Miss USA 2011
2016Natalie Luttmer WashingtonTop 10
2017Mekayla Eppers IndianaTop 12Former Miss Indiana USA 2014 and top 20 at Miss USA 2014
2018Nicole Cook IllinoisTop 6Former Miss Indiana 2007
1st runner up at Miss America 2008 pageant
Former Ms. Missouri 2012 and Ms. America 2012
Also competed as Mrs. Illinois in 2014
2019Natalie Winslow Nevada

Crossovers

Some contestants in the Mrs. America pageant have previously held state pageant titles in the Miss USA, Miss America, Mrs. United States, and Miss Teen USA pageants. They include:
Prior to the current Mrs. America pageant, there was an earlier pageant of the same name. The pageant was created by public relations executive Bert Nevins in 1936 as a promotion for his client, Palisades Amusement Park in New Jersey. When Nevins sold the pageant in 1963, it was the only nationally televised beauty pageant for married women.
By 1964, participants were graded on cooking, sewing, ironing, party preparation and other homemaking abilities, family psychology, grooming, poise, personality, and general attractiveness. Winners included:
Source: online newspaper archives