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39 emotional photos show Miss America winners being crowned through the years

Miss Alaska, Emma Broyles, is crowned Miss America 2022.Miss America Organization Miss Alaska, Emma Broyles, was crowned Miss America 2022 on December 16. It’s — understandably — an emotional moment when the winner is crowned. There are tears, laughter, and screaming, but it’s always heartwarming. 1940: Miss Philadelphia, Frances BurkePatricia Donnelly, Miss America 1939, crowns Miss America 1940 at the annual Miss America pageant on September 7, 1940.AP ImagesBurke won when key cities were still eligible as competitors, not just states.1946: Miss California, Marilyn BuferdMarilyn Buferd sits on the throne wearing the regal robe as former Miss America Bess Myerson transfers her crown to Miss America 1946 at the annual Miss America pageant on September 7, 1945.AP ImagesCalifornia is tied with New York for the state that has produced the most Miss Americas. They’ve had six apiece.1951: Miss Alabama, Yolande BetbezeYolanda Betbeze, Miss America of 1951, is crowned by her predecessor, Jacque Mercer, September 9, 1950.AP ImagesAfter Betbeze won, she refused to pose in Catalina Swimwear, one of the pageant’s sponsors. This infuriated the brand so much that they created their own pageant, Miss USA.1959: Miss Mississippi, Mary Ann MobleyMiss America 1959 Mary Ann Mobley is crowned by outgoing Miss America Marilyn Elaine Van Derbur on September 6, 1958.AP ImagesMobley was the first Miss Mississippi to win the crown.1960: Miss Mississippi, Lynda MeadMiss America of 1960, Miss Mississippi, Lynda Lee Mead is crowned by outgoing Miss America, Mary Ann Mobley on September 12, 1959.Bill Achatz/AP ImagesBoth the outgoing and new Miss America hailed from Mississippi in 1959.1970: Miss Michigan, Pamela EldredPamela Anne Eldred is crowned Miss America 1970 by outgoing Miss America, Judith Anne Ford on September 6, 1969.Bill Achatz/AP ImagesEldred became the third Miss Michigan to win the pageant when she became Miss America 1970.1971: Miss Texas, Phyllis GeorgePhyllis George, the former Miss Texas, won the national title of Miss America on September 12, 1970, having the crown placed on her head by the former Miss America, Pamela Anne Eldred of Michigan.AP ImagesGeorge went on to become the First Lady of Kentucky from 1979 to 1983, as she was married to former Kentucky Governor John Y. Brown Jr.1976: Miss New York, Tawny GodinMiss America 1976, Tawny Elaine Godin is crowned by Miss America 1975 Shirley Cothran, on September 7, 1975.AP ImagesShe appeared in “Rocky II” as a reporter.1980: Miss Mississippi, Cheryl PrewittCheryl Prewitt, Miss America 1980, is crowned on September 8, 1979.Jack Kanthal/AP ImagesPrewitt was involved in a car accident when she was 11 years old, requiring 100 stitches.1981: Miss Oklahoma, Susan PowellThe new Miss America Susan Powell, Miss Oklahoma, reacts as she is crowned by Cheryl Prewitt, the outgoing Miss America at the pageant on September 6, 1980.Rusty Kennedy/AP ImagesPowell went on to host several seasons of the Discovery Channel show, “Home Matters.”1984: Miss New York, Vanessa WilliamsVanessa Williams is shown after being crowned Miss America 1984 on September 17, 1983.AP ImagesWilliams remains the only Miss America to resign. She was allegedly pressured to by the organization after photos of her were published in Penthouse without her consent.Williams went on to become a successful singer and actress, best known for her role as Wilhemina Slater on “Ugly Betty.”1986: Miss Mississippi, Susan AkinSusan Akin is crowned Miss America 1986 by former Miss America, Sharlene Wells at the pageant on September 14, 1985.AP ImagesAkins’ win was successfully predicted by a computer program that gave her seven to one odds of winning.1995: Miss Alabama, Heather WhitestoneMiss America 1994, Kimberly Aiken, crowns Heather Whitestone, Miss Alabama, the new Miss America, on September 17, 1994.STR New/ReutersWhitestone was deaf, making her the first Miss America with a disability.In 2002, she received a cochlear implant, allowing her to hear for the first time since she was 18 months old.1996: Miss Oklahoma, Shawntel SmithShawntel Smith, Miss Oklahoma and the new Miss America 1996, has her crown adjusted by last year’s Miss America, Heather Whitestone, September 16, 1995.STR New/ReutersSmith was crowned Miss America at the 75th annual Miss America pageant.1997: Miss Kansas, Tara HollandMiss Kansas, Tara Holland, reacts as the crown is placed on her head by outgoing Miss America Shawntel Smith at the Miss America pageant on September 14, 1996.Jeff Christensen/ReutersHolland getting crowned is shown at the beginning of the film “Little Miss Sunshine,” which centers around a family road-tripping to a children’s beauty pageant.1998: Miss Illinois, Kate ShindleMiss Ilinois, Katherine Shindle reacts as she’s crowned the 1998 Miss America by the 1997 Miss America Tara Holland at the Miss America Pageant on September 13, 1997.Associated Press/B Vartan BoyajianShindle went on to become a successful theater actress — she originated the role of Vivienne Kensington in the Broadway adaptation of “Legally Blonde.”1999: Miss Virginia, Nicole JohnsonMiss America 1998 Kate Shindle places the crown on Nicole Johnson from Virginia, who was named Miss America 1999 on September 20, 1998.STR New/ReutersJohnson became the first Miss America with diabetes, and the first to use an insulin pump.2000: Miss Kentucky, Heather FrenchMiss Kentucky Heather French is crowned Miss America 2000 by outgoing Miss America Nicole Johnson on September 18, 1999.Charles Rex Arbogast/AP ImagesFrench was the first Miss Kentucky to take the top honor.2001: Miss Hawaii, Angela Perez BaraquioFormer Miss America Heather French crowns Miss America 2001 Angela Perez Baraquio, the former Miss Hawaii, on October 14, 2000.Charles Rex Arbogast/AP ImagesWhen Baraquio was crowned, she became the first Asian American, first Filipino American, and first teacher to win Miss America.2002: Miss Oregon, Katie HarmanKatie Harman is crowned Miss America 2002, by Miss America 2001, Angela Perez Baraquio September 22, 2001.Getty ImagesMiss America 2002 happened just 11 days after the September 11 attacks — the contestants voted to continue on with the pageant instead of canceling.2003: Miss Illinois, Erika HaroldMiss America 2003 Erika Harold is crowned by former Miss America 2002 Katie Harmon on September 21, 2002.William Thomas Cain/Getty ImagesHarold ran for Congress in 2012, and is currently running for Illinois attorney general.2004: Miss Florida, Ericka DunlapMiss Florida Ericka Dunlap reacts after being named Miss America 2004 as outgoing Miss America Erika Harold places the crown on September 20, 2003.Mary Godleski/AP ImagesDunlap and her husband competed on “The Amazing Race 15” in 2009. They placed third overall.2005: Miss Alabama, Deidre DownsFormer Miss America Ericka Dunlap crowns Miss Alabama Deidre Downs, as Miss America 2005 on September 18, 2004.Brian Branch-Price/AP ImagesDowns married her girlfriend in April 2018, making her the first Miss America to enter into a same-sex marriage.2006: Miss Oklahoma, Jennifer BerryMiss America 2005, Deidre Downs, crowns Jennifer Berry, Miss Oklahoma, after winning the 2006 Miss America Pageant on January 21, 2006.Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesBerry was the first Miss America to be crowned in Las Vegas, Nevada.2007: Miss Oklahoma, Lauren NelsonMiss Oklahoma Lauren Nelson is crowned Miss America 2007 by Miss America 2006 Jennifer Berry at the Miss America pageant on January 29, 2007.Jae C. Hong/AP ImagesNelson began hosting “Discover Oklahoma,” a “statewide travel and tourism television program” in 2016.2008: Miss Michigan, Kirsten HaglundKirsten Haglund is crowned Miss America 2008 by former Miss America Lauren Nelson during the Miss America Pageant on January 26, 2008.Jae C. Hong/AP ImagesHaglund hosted The Sonder Podcast, which “features interviews with thought leaders in politics, faith, mental health, and culture.”2009: Miss Indiana, Katie StamMiss Indiana Katie Stam is crowned Miss America 2009 by Kirsten Haglund on January 24, 2009.Isaac Brekken/AP ImagesDuring the lead-up to Miss America 2009, TLC aired “Miss America: Countdown to the Crown,” in which viewers could vote for contestants to receive the Golden Sash, which would help them secure a place in the top 15. Stam was one of the four to win the Golden Sash.2010: Miss Virginia, Caressa CameronMiss America 2009 Katie Stam crowns Caressa Cameron, Miss Virginia, the new Miss America on January 30, 2010.Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Planet HollywoodCameron supported the removal of former-CEO Sam Haskell, telling the Washington Post that “the organization prevented her from participating in events related to her platform, HIV/AIDS prevention, and that she was once mistakenly copied on an email in which Haskell referred to her mother as ‘uneducated trash.'”2011: Miss Nebraska, Teresa ScanlanMiss America 2010 Caressa Cameron crowns Teresa Scanlan, Miss Nebraska, the new Miss America on January 15, 2011.Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesScanlan was the youngest Miss America in 70 years — she was just 17 years old when she won the pageant.2012: Miss Wisconsin, Laura KaeppelerMiss Wisconsin Laura Kaeppeler reacts after being crowned Miss America on January 14, 2012.Eric Jamison/AP ImagesIn 2014, Kaeppeler married Mike Fleiss, the creator of “The Bachelor” and its multiple spin-offs, but he filed for divorce in 2019.2013: Miss New York, Mallory HaganMiss America 2012 Laura Kaeppeler crowns Mallory Hagan of New York the new Miss America on January 12, 2013.David Becker/Getty ImagesHagan won the Democratic nomination for Alabama’s 3rd congressional district in June 2018.2014: Miss New York, Nina DavuluriMiss America 2014 contestant Miss New York Nina Davuluri is crowned 2014 Miss America by 2013 Miss America Mallory Hagan on September 15, 2013.Michael Loccisano/Getty ImagesDavuluri became a fan-favorite when she performed a Bollywood dance for her talent portion.2015: Miss New York, Kira KazantsevMiss America 2014 Nina Davuluri crowns Miss New York Kira Kazantsev as Miss America 2015 on September 14, 2014.Mel Evans/AP ImagesKazantsev was accused of hazing her sorority sisters before she was named Miss America, while she was a student at Hofstra University. She claimed that she was terminated from her sorority for not attending a judiciary hearing — not hazing.2016: Miss Georgia, Betty CantrellMiss Georgia Betty Cantrell is crowned Miss America 2016 by Miss America 2015 Kira Kazantsev on September 13, 2015.Mel Evans/AP ImagesCantrell met her now-husband, Spencer Maxwell, on Tinder.2017: Miss Arkansas, Savvy ShieldsMiss America 2017 Savvy Shields is crowned Miss America on September 11, 2016.Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for dcpAt Miss America 2017, Vanessa Williams returned to the Miss America stage after resigning from her position in the ’80s. She received an official apology from the organization, which had allegedly pressured her to resign after photos of hers appeared in Penthouse without her consent.2018: Miss North Dakota, Cara MundMiss North Dakota 2017 Cara Mund is crowned Miss America 2018 by Miss America 2017 Savvy Shields on September 10, 2017.Donald Kravitz/Getty Images for Dick Clark ProductionsMund shook the Miss America Organization when she published an open letter she wrote to her fellow Miss Americas detailing a year of alleged bullying, intimidation, and unhappiness while she was the reigning Miss America.2019: Miss New York, Nia FranklinMiss New York Nia Franklin reacts after being named Miss America 2019, as she is crowned by last year’s winner Cara Mund on September 9, 2018.Noah K. Murray/AP ImagesFranklin was crowned Miss America on September 9, 2018, making her the fourth Miss New York to take the Miss America crown in seven years.2020: Miss Virginia, Camille SchrierMiss America 2019 Nia Franklin crowns Miss Virginia 2019 Camille Schrier, as Miss America 2020 on December 19, 2019.Donald Kravitz/Getty ImagesSchrier’s talent during the pageant was conducting a chemical experiment on stage. She was crowned Miss America on December 19, 2019.She held the title for two years, after the competition in 2020 was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.2022: Miss Alaska, Emma BroylesMiss Alaska is crowned Miss America 2022 on December 16, 2021.Miss America OrganizationAs Insider’s Samantha Grindell reported, Broyles’ win made history: She’s the first ever winner from Alaska. She studies biomedical science and voice performance at the Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University. Her talent in the pageant was singing.”One thing that I’ve really tried to do as Miss Alaska is show people that I am real,” she said. “I have flaws. I have ADHD. I have dermatillomania.””I’ve struggled with all of these things and because of that, I am a better person,” she continued. “A lot of people don’t recognize that their low points are what’s going to propel them into their future.”Read the original article on Insider
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Written by: insider@insider.com (Gabbi Shaw)