Pearl Jansen
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| Born | Pearl Gladys Jansen 1950 |
| Title | Miss World 1970 (1st Runner-Up) |
Pearl Gladys Jansen (born 1950 in Bonteheuwel) is a South African singer and beauty pageant titleholder who was first runner-up in the Miss World beauty contest in the UK in 1970. She was the first coloured woman to represent her country at this level. She competed as "Miss Africa South" due to apartheid.[1]
Jansen was 20 when she entered the 1970 beauty contest. She also has been portrayed in the film Misbehaviour.[2] She has stated that after the contest nothing changed for her because of apartheid.[3] She waited until she was 58 years old to fulfill her dream of becoming a singer.[4]
The 1970 contest was held in London, United Kingdom. It began with a row because the organisers had allowed two entries from South Africa, one black, Pearl Jansen, and one white, Jillian Jessup.[5][3] Then during the evening there were protests by women's liberation activists and flour was thrown.[6] The comedian Bob Hope was also heckled. Jennifer Hosten, Miss Grenada, won, becoming the first black woman to win Miss World, and Pearl Jansen was placed second.
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Miss World 1970 national titleholders
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