Miss America is an annual competition open to women from the United States between the ages of 18 and 28. Originating in 1921 as a beauty pageant, the competition now judges competitors' talent performances and interviews in addition to their physical appearance.

In January 2018, the new board of directors increased the maximum age of titleholders to 25 years old, from 24. Therefore, contestants could not be older than 25 years old on December 31 in the calendar year of her state competition.

In January 2023, the new board of directors increased the maximum age of delegates to 28 years old, from 27. Thus, participants must be at least 18 by the date of competition, and no older than 28 in the year of her national competition.

Gallery of past Miss Americas

Winners Year Crowned Winner State/District City Age Awards Talent Notes 1921 Sept. 8, 1921 District of Columbia Washington 16 Inter-City Beauty, Amateur 1922 Sept. 7, 1922 Ohio Columbus 16 Only person to win twice; also was 1st runner-up at the 1924 pageant 1923 Sept. 7, 1923 17 1924 Sept. 6, 1924 Pennsylvania Philadelphia 18 1925 Sept. 11, 1925 California Oakland 19 1926 Sept. 10, 1926 Oklahoma Tulsa 18 Bather's Revue WinnerEvening Gown Award 1927 Sept. 9, 1927 Illinois Joliet 17 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 Sept. 9, 1933 Connecticut West Haven 15 Youngest winner in history at the age of 15½Held title for two years since no competition was held in 1934 1934 No national pageant was held 1935 Sept. 7, 1935 Pennsylvania Pittsburgh 17 Vocal / Tap dance,"Living In a Great Big Way" 1936 Sept. 12, 1936 Pennsylvania Philadelphia 22 Preliminary Talent Vocal / Tap dance,"I Can't Escape From You" & "Truckin'" 1937 Sept. 11, 1937 New Jersey Bertrand Island 17 Evening Gown Award Vocal,"When the Poppies Bloom Again" 1938 Sept. 10, 1938 Ohio Marion 21 Tap dance,"The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise" Held the title of Miss Ohio twice (1931 & 1938) 1939 Sept. 9, 1939 Michigan Detroit 19Vocal / Bass Fiddle,"To You" & "Ol' Man Mose" 1940 Sept. 7, 1940 Pennsylvania Philadelphia 19 Preliminary Swimsuit Vocal / Dance,"I Can't Love You Anymore" 1941 Sept. 6, 1941 California Los Angeles 18 Preliminary Swimsuit Dance Also placed 1st runner-up at Miss America 1940 pageant 1942 Sept. 12, 1942 Texas Tyler 18 Preliminary SwimsuitPreliminary Talent Vocal / Dance,"Deep in the Heart of Texas" 1943 Sept. 11, 1943 California Los Angeles 19 Preliminary Swimsuit Preliminary Talent Vocal,"Night and Day" 1944 Sept. 9, 1944 District of Columbia Washington 19 Preliminary Swimsuit Preliminary Talent Vocal / Dance,"Take It Easy" 1945 Sept. 8, 1945 New York New York City 21 Preliminary Swimsuit Preliminary Talent Piano & flute,"Piano Concerto In A Minor" by Edvard Grieg & "Summertime" First Jewish-American Miss AmericaFirst Miss New York crowned 1946 Sept. 7, 1946 California Los Angeles 21 Preliminary Swimsuit Preliminary Talent (tie) Dramatic monologue,Accent on Youth 1947 Sept. 6, 1947 Tennessee Memphis 21 Preliminary Talent Art display & vocal medley,"One Kiss" & "Un Bel Di" from Madama Butterfly 1948 Sept. 11, 1948 Minnesota Hopkins 18 Preliminary Swimsuit Vibraharp,"Caprice Viennois" by Fritz Kreisler 1949 Sept. 10, 1949 Arizona Litchfield Park 18 Preliminary Swimsuit (tie) Preliminary Talent Dramatic reading,Romeo and Juliet 1951 Sept. 9, 1950 Yolande Betbeze Alabama Mobile 21 Preliminary Swimsuit Classical vocal,"Caro Nome" from Rigoletto Sparked the creation of the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants 1952 Sept. 8, 1951 Utah Salt Lake City 25 Preliminary Talent Dramatic monologue,"Elizabeth the Queen" by Maxwell Anderson 1953 Sept. 6, 1952 Georgia Macon 19 Preliminary Swimsuit Preliminary Talent Classical piano,"Toccata" 1954 Sept. 12, 1953 Evelyn Ay Pennsylvania Ephrata 20 Preliminary Swimsuit Poetry recitation,"Footsteps" from Leaves from a Grass-House by Don Blanding 1955 Sept. 11, 1954 California San Francisco 19 Preliminary Swimsuit Dramatic monologue,Riders to the Sea First winner crowned on television. Television broadcast moved to ABCBecame an actress, starring in Batman and Barnaby Jones 1956 Sept. 10, 1955 Colorado Denver 18 Recitation,"The Murder of Lidice" by Edna St. Vincent Millay 1957 Sept. 8, 1956 South Carolina Manning 19 Comedy sketch,"The Monroe Doctrine" 1958 Sept. 7, 1957 Colorado Denver 20 Organ,"Tea for Two" & "Tenderly" Television broadcast moved to CBS 1959 Sept. 6, 1958 Mississippi Brandon 21 Preliminary Talent Vocal medley & dance,"Un Bel Di" & "There'll Be Some Changes Made" Became a television actress (seen on Diff'rent Strokes) and hostess 1960 Sept. 12, 1959 Natchez 20 Original dramatic act,"Schizophrenia" 1961 Sept. 10, 1960 Michigan Montague 18 Preliminary Swimsuit Preliminary Talent (tie) Presentation of dress design1962 Sept. 9, 1961 North Carolina Asheville 19 Preliminary Swimsuit Vocal/tap dance, "Somebody Loves Me" First Miss North Carolina crowned 1963 Sept. 8, 1962 Ohio Sandusky 20 Broadway medley,"Wishing Upon a Star," "My Favorite Things" & The White Cliffs of Dover 1964 Sept. 7, 1963 Arkansas El Dorado 21 Preliminary Swimsuit Vocal medley,"Quando me'n vo'" & "I Love Paris" 1965 Sept. 12, 1964 Arizona Phoenix 21 Miss Congeniality Ventriloquism,"Together (Wherever We Go)" Only Miss Congeniality winner to be also crowned Miss America 1966 Sept. 11, 1965 Kansas Overland Park 19 Preliminary Swimsuit Dramatic interpretation,"The Miserable Miserliness of Midas Moneybags" 1967 Sept. 10, 1966 Oklahoma Laverne 19 Preliminary Talent Vocal / Orchestral conducting,"1-2-3" Television broadcast moved to NBC 1968 Sept. 9, 1967 Kansas Moran 20 Preliminary Swimsuit Piano,"Born Free" 1969 Sept. 7, 1968 Illinois Belvidere 18 Preliminary Swimsuit Preliminary Talent Acrobatic dance & trampoline,"The Blue Danube" 1970 Sept. 6, 1969 Michigan West Bloomfield 21 Preliminary Swimsuit Ballet,"Love Theme" from Romeo & Juliet 1971 Sept. 12, 1970 Texas Denton 21 Preliminary Swimsuit Piano medley,Promises, Promises & "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" Former First Lady of Kentucky (1979–83) 1972 Sept. 11, 1971 Ohio Bexley 22 Preliminary Swimsuit Semi-classical vocal,"And This Is My Beloved" 1973 Sept. 9, 1972 Wisconsin De Pere 23 Preliminary Swimsuit Preliminary Talent Vocal,"He Touched Me" from Drat! The Cat! First Miss Wisconsin crownedCo-host of The 700 Club 1974 Sept. 8, 1973 Rebecca King Colorado Denver 23 Vocal,"If I Ruled the World" 1975 Sept. 7, 1974 Texas Denton 21 Preliminary Swimsuit Flute medley,"Bumble Boogie" & "Swingin' Shepherd Blues" 1976 Sept. 6, 1975 New York Yonkers 18 Original piano composition,"Images in Pastels" 1977 Sept. 11, 1976 Minnesota Edina 20 Preliminary Swimsuit Preliminary Talent Classical vocal,"Adele's Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus 1978 Sept. 10, 1977 Ohio Middletown 23 Preliminary Talent Vocal,"Good Morning Heartache" Television broadcast moved to CBS 1979 Sept. 9, 1978 Virginia Galax 22 Gymnastics routine,"Gonna Fly Now" & "Feels So Good" Television broadcast moved to NBC 1980 Sept. 8, 1979 Mississippi Ackerman 22 Preliminary Swimsuit Vocal / Piano,"Don't Cry Out Loud" 1981 Sept. 6, 1980 Oklahoma Elk City 21 Preliminary Talent (tie) Classical vocal,"The Telephone Aria" 1982 Sept. 12, 1981 Arkansas Russellville 20 Preliminary Swimsuit Vocal,"After You've Gone" 1983 Sept. 11, 1982 California Anaheim 25 Preliminary Swimsuit Preliminary Talent Popular Vocal,"Come in From the Rain" 1984 Sept. 17, 1983 New York Millwood 20 Preliminary Swimsuit Preliminary Talent Popular vocal,"Happy Days Are Here Again" First African American Miss AmericaResigned on July 23, 1984, due to backlash from unauthorized nude photos of her being published in Penthouse magazine July 23, 1984 New Jersey Mays Landing 21 Preliminary Talent Popular vocal,"Kiss Me In the Rain" Served the shortest term by any Miss America, lasting only seven weeks 1985 Sept. 15, 1984 Utah Salt Lake City 20 Preliminary Swimsuit Spanish vocal & Paraguayan harp,"Mis Noches Sin Ti" The first foreign-born, bilingual Miss America (born in Asunción, Paraguay) 1986 Sept. 14, 1985 Mississippi Meridian 21 Preliminary Swimsuit Vocal,"You're My World" 1987 Sept. 13, 1986 Tennessee Memphis 21 Preliminary Swimsuit Preliminary Talent Piano / Vocal,"I'll Be Home" Grandniece of singer, Johnny Cash 1988 Sept. 19, 1987 Michigan Monroe 24 Preliminary Swimsuit Hawaiian-Tahitian dance 1989 Sept. 10, 1988 Minnesota Anoka 22 Preliminary Talent Classical violin,"Zigeunerweisen" Former news anchor of Fox & FriendsLater served as chairwoman of the board of directors of the Miss America Organization 1990 Sept. 16, 1989 Missouri Mexico 23 Preliminary Swimsuit Marimba medley,"Flight of the Bumblebee," "Csárdás" & "Can-Can" Medical Reporter and Anchor for CBS's The Early ShowFirst Miss Missouri crowned 1991 Sept. 8, 1990 Illinois Oak Park 25 Preliminary Talent Classical piano,"Fantaisie-Impromptu" First Miss America winner of Haitian descent Later served as chair of the board of trustees for the Miss America Organization (served for 3 months) 1992 Sept. 14, 1991 Hawaii Kona 24 Preliminary Swimsuit Vocal,"Ain't Misbehavin'" 1993 Sept. 19, 1992 Florida Jacksonville 21 Vocal,"A New Life" from Jekyll & Hyde First Miss Florida crowned. Married (and later divorced) Mark Steines 1994 Sept. 18, 1993 South Carolina Columbia 18 Vocal,"Summertime" 1995 Sept. 17, 1994 Alabama Birmingham 21 Preliminary Swimsuit Preliminary Talent Ballet en Pointe,"Via Dolorosa" First deaf Miss America 1996 Sept. 16, 1995 Oklahoma Muldrow 24 Vocal,"The Woman in the Moon" from A Star Is Born 1997 Sept. 14, 1996 Kansas Overland Park 23 Preliminary Swimsuit Classical vocal,"Où Va la Jeune Hindoue" from Lakmé Her crowning was featured at beginning of the 2006 film, Little Miss Sunshine 1998 Sept. 13, 1997