Mrs. America 2005 host with the Iowa representative
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 ranges 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.[1]
Mrs. America, Inc., celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2021. The pageant has been televised on networks including PAX and WE (Women's Entertainment); 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. The pageant continues to be held in Las Vegas yearly.
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.[1] This has caused some controversy,[2][3] since Crimea is recognized by most countries in the world as Ukrainian territory that has been annexed by Russia.[4] 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 2023 Pageant was held on August 20, 2022, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nicole Zwiercan of Illinois was crowned Mrs. America.[5]
1955: Ramona Deitemeyer, Mrs. America 1955, appeared on What's My Line?.[6]
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 was the first African American contestant to win Mrs. Washington, DC 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 the Mrs. Rhode Island title.
Originally 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[1] and write an award-winning book: The RAFT Strategy: How to Build Your Tax-Free Nest Egg Without Risk
2002
Kristi Phillips
Alabama
3rd runner up
Was Mrs. America®, Mrs. Congeniality and the TRIMSPA Dream Body Winner.
Originally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when Diane Tucker won Mrs. World. Previously Miss Nebraska Teen USA 1992 under her maiden name Marney Monson went on to become a published author in spring 2021
Originally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when April Lufriu won Mrs. World
2012
Vicki Sarber
Alaska
Formerly 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.
Mrs. South Carolina 2013-Jennifer Loveday-Donovan-Mrs South Carolina United States 2010 (Top 15 at Mrs United States)-Miss South Carolina United States 2004 (1st Runner-up Miss United States)-Miss South Carolina Teen United States 1999
Mrs. Virginia 2001 & Mrs. America 2002 - Laurett Ellsworth Arenz - Mrs. Virginia United States & Mrs. United States 1997
Mrs. Pennsylvania 2001 - Dr. Lori Sundberg - Mrs. Pennsylvania International 1999, Mrs. Pennsylvania United States 2000 & Mrs. District of Columbia United States 2014
Mrs. Colorado 2002 [2] - Emily (Weeks) Stark - Miss Colorado USA 1995
Mrs. Pennsylvania 2005 - Kandace Gary - Mrs. Pennsylvania United States 2002
Mrs. South Carolina 2005 - Angela Hughes-Singleton - Miss South Carolina 1996
Mrs. California 2005 & Mrs. America 2006 - Andrea (Ballengee) Preuss - Miss Virginia Teen USA 1992 - Miss Virginia 1995 (dethroned) - Mrs. United States 2003
Mrs. Maine 2006 - Heather (Coutts) Clark - Miss Maine USA 1999
Mrs. Minnesota 2006 - Holly (Henderson) Ernst - Mrs. Minnesota International 2003, Mrs. Minnesota United States 2009/2002, Miss Wisconsin World America 1993, Miss Wisconsin U.S. Teen 1990 - Miss Junior Wisconsin 1989
Mrs. New Hampshire 2006 - Jessica Plante - Mrs. Massachusetts International 2008
Mrs. Florida 2007 - Jamie Converse-Estrada - Miss Florida USA 1998
Mrs. Illinois 2007 - Hallie (Bonnell) Thompson - Miss Ohio USA 1987
Mrs. Maryland 2007 - Adrienne Watson Carver - Mrs. Maryland United States 2006
Mrs. Ohio 2011 - Melanie (Murphy) Miller - Miss Ohio 2006
Mrs. Alaska 2012 - Vicki Sarber - Miss Alaska American Coed 1992 - 2nd Runner Up Miss American Coed 1992 - Miss Alaska Teen of the Year 1990 - 1st Runner Up Miss Teen of the Year 1990
Mrs. Pennsylvania 2012 - Susan Huntley - Mrs. Pennsylvania United States 2010, Mrs. Pennsylvania International 2008
Mrs. Illinois 2014/Mrs. Illinois 2018 & Mrs. America 2019 - Nicole (Rash) Cook - Miss Indiana 2007 - 1st Runner Up Miss America 2008
Mrs. Massachusetts 2014- Monique (Jones) Taylor- Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 2000- Ms. Massachusetts United States 2012- 1st Runner Up Ms. United States 2012
Mrs. Pennsylvania 2015 - Kate Schartel Novak - Mrs. Pennsylvania United States 2011 - Mrs. Pennsylvania International 2019
Mrs. Texas 2015 - Melissa Pocza - Mrs. Texas America 2009 - Mrs. Texas United States 2011 - 3rd Runner Up Mrs. United States 2011 - Mrs. Michigan International - Mrs. International 2017
Mrs. Idaho 2016 - Christi (Weible) van Ravenhorst - Miss Idaho 2001
Mrs. Georgia 2016 - Onica (Williams) Blaize - Miss Guyana USA 1995
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. When Nevins sold the pageant in 1963, it was the only nationally televised beauty pageant for married women.[23]
Mrs. America 1956, Ramona Deitemeyer
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
1938: Margaret Chamberlain, Ohio (appeared on Family Feud in 1980)
^appeared in Greyhound Scenicruiser ads and christened the first one with champagne in July 1954 in Pontiac, Michigan; "Mrs. America (Wanda Jennings, of Saint Louis, Missouri) broke a traditional bottle of champagne on the front bumper of F-701 (serial 002)."
^Growing Up In The 1950s, the (Portland) Oregonian. The "Mrs. America" title held by Mrs. Maletis is apparently not the same as the one that is the subject of this article, because Mrs. America, Inc. reportedly celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2007, making 1977 the first title in the current series. Mrs. Maletis is not listed on the official Mrs. America, Inc. website. See Mrs. America Incorporated, History
California
Alaska
New Jersey
Texas
Louisiana
Tennessee
West Virginia
Mississippi
Florida
Minnesota
Oklahoma
Indiana
Pennsylvania
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Ohio
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Utah
Alabama
Hawaii
Virginia
Missouri
Arizona
Colorado
Wyoming
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Idaho
Oklahoma
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