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.
Titleholders are designated by year of title/reign; competitions are held the preceding fall. [7]
Title Year | Name | State | Placement at Mrs. World | Notes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1977 | Ruth Johnson |
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1978 | Cindy Roberts |
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1979 | Carrie Gabriel Strom |
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1980 | Carol Anne McEwen |
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1981 | Paddy Boyd Argovitz |
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1982 | Rhonda McGeeney |
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1983 | Susan Goodman |
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1984 | Deborah Wolfe |
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1st runner up | Mother of Miss West Virginia Teen USA 2004 Mary Ellen Wolfe, [8] and made top 10 in Miss America 1980 | ||||
1985 | Donna Russell |
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1986 | Cynthia Amann |
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1987 | Pamela Nail |
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Mrs. World | |||||
Suzy Katz |
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N/A | Originally 1st runner-up to Pamela Nail in 1987, ascended to Mrs. America when Pamela Nail won Mrs. World | |||||
1988 | Jennifer Kline |
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2nd runner-up | |||||
1989 | Jennifer Johnson |
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1990 | No Mrs. America representative that year
| |||||||
1991 | Kristianna Nichols |
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1992 | Dr. Doris Martineaux Dalton |
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1993 | Keyna Baucom |
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1994 | Wendy Lewis |
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1995 | Kimberly Brasher |
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1st runner up | Ms Idaho | ||||
1996 | Cynthia Pensiero |
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1997 | Lisa Lilenthal |
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1998 | Renee Cairns |
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1999 | Starla Stanley |
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Mrs. World | |||||
Stacy Willis |
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N/A | Originally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when Starla Stanley won Mrs. World [9] | |||||
2000 | Leslie Lam |
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2001 | Nicole Brink |
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Mrs. World | Previously Miss Indiana Teen USA 1992 (semifinalist in Miss Teen USA 1992) and Miss Indiana USA 1998 under her maiden name, Nicole Llewellyn. | ||||
Laurett Ellsworth Arenz |
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N/A | 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 |
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3rd runner up | Was Mrs. America®, Mrs. Congeniality and the TRIMSPA Dream Body Winner. | ||||
2003 | Heidi Dinan |
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2004 | Julie Love-Templeton |
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3rd runner up | |||||
2005 | Andrea Pruess |
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Previously Miss Virginia Teen USA 1992 & Miss Virginia 1995 (dethroned) 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 [10] [11] | |||||
2006 | Diane Tucker |
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Mrs. World | |||||
Marney Duckworth |
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N/A | 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 | |||||
2007 | Kelly McBee |
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Top 10 | |||||
2008 | Maureen McDonald |
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2009 | Andrea Robertson |
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2010 | Shelley Carbone [12] |
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2011 | April Lufriu |
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Mrs. World | First-generation American (parents from Honduras) | ||||
Lara Leimana Fonoimoana |
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Originally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when April Lufriu won Mrs. World | ||||||
2012 | Vicki Sarber |
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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. | |||||
2013 | Austen (Brown) Williams |
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N/A | Previously
Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2002 (Miss Congeniality) Competed at Mrs. World along with her 1st runner through invitation of the national office [13] | ||||
Kaley Sparling [14] |
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Mrs. World | Named 1st runner-up in 2013 Mrs. America pageant
[13] Competed alongside of Williams at Mrs. World 2013 pageant by invitation of the national office [13] | |||||
2014 | Michelle Nicole Evans |
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2015 | Madeline (Mitchell) Gwin |
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Former Miss Alabama USA 2011 and 2nd runner up for Miss USA 2011 | |||||
2016 | Natalie Luttmer |
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Top 10 | |||||
2017 | Mekayla (Diehl) Eppers |
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Top 12 | Former Miss Indiana USA 2014 and top 20 at Miss USA 2014 | ||||
2018 | Nicole (Rash) Cook [15] |
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Top 6 | Former
Miss Indiana 2007 1st runner up at Miss America 2008 pageant Former Ms. Missouri 2012 and Ms. America 2012 [16] Also competed as Mrs. Illinois in 2014 | ||||
2019 | Natalie Winslow |
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2021 | Brooklyn Rivera |
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21/22 | Jackie Blankenship |
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22/23 | Nicole La Ha Zwiercan |
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Top 6 | Elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2022 | ||||
23/24 | Regina Stock |
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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: [11] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22]
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]
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
Nicole Elizabeth Cook of Illinois was crowned Mrs. America.
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.
Titleholders are designated by year of title/reign; competitions are held the preceding fall. [7]
Title Year | Name | State | Placement at Mrs. World | Notes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1977 | Ruth Johnson |
![]() |
||||||
1978 | Cindy Roberts |
![]() |
||||||
1979 | Carrie Gabriel Strom |
![]() |
||||||
1980 | Carol Anne McEwen |
![]() |
||||||
1981 | Paddy Boyd Argovitz |
![]() |
||||||
1982 | Rhonda McGeeney |
![]() |
||||||
1983 | Susan Goodman |
![]() |
||||||
1984 | Deborah Wolfe |
![]() |
1st runner up | Mother of Miss West Virginia Teen USA 2004 Mary Ellen Wolfe, [8] and made top 10 in Miss America 1980 | ||||
1985 | Donna Russell |
![]() |
||||||
1986 | Cynthia Amann |
![]() |
||||||
1987 | Pamela Nail |
![]() |
Mrs. World | |||||
Suzy Katz |
![]() |
N/A | Originally 1st runner-up to Pamela Nail in 1987, ascended to Mrs. America when Pamela Nail won Mrs. World | |||||
1988 | Jennifer Kline |
![]() |
2nd runner-up | |||||
1989 | Jennifer Johnson |
![]() |
||||||
1990 | No Mrs. America representative that year
| |||||||
1991 | Kristianna Nichols |
![]() |
||||||
1992 | Dr. Doris Martineaux Dalton |
![]() |
||||||
1993 | Keyna Baucom |
![]() |
||||||
1994 | Wendy Lewis |
![]() |
||||||
1995 | Kimberly Brasher |
![]() |
1st runner up | Ms Idaho | ||||
1996 | Cynthia Pensiero |
![]() |
||||||
1997 | Lisa Lilenthal |
![]() |
||||||
1998 | Renee Cairns |
![]() |
||||||
1999 | Starla Stanley |
![]() |
Mrs. World | |||||
Stacy Willis |
![]() |
N/A | Originally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when Starla Stanley won Mrs. World [9] | |||||
2000 | Leslie Lam |
![]() |
||||||
2001 | Nicole Brink |
![]() |
Mrs. World | Previously Miss Indiana Teen USA 1992 (semifinalist in Miss Teen USA 1992) and Miss Indiana USA 1998 under her maiden name, Nicole Llewellyn. | ||||
Laurett Ellsworth Arenz |
![]() |
N/A | 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 |
![]() |
3rd runner up | Was Mrs. America®, Mrs. Congeniality and the TRIMSPA Dream Body Winner. | ||||
2003 | Heidi Dinan |
![]() |
||||||
2004 | Julie Love-Templeton |
![]() |
3rd runner up | |||||
2005 | Andrea Pruess |
![]() |
Previously Miss Virginia Teen USA 1992 & Miss Virginia 1995 (dethroned) 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 [10] [11] | |||||
2006 | Diane Tucker |
![]() |
Mrs. World | |||||
Marney Duckworth |
![]() |
N/A | 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 | |||||
2007 | Kelly McBee |
![]() |
Top 10 | |||||
2008 | Maureen McDonald |
![]() |
||||||
2009 | Andrea Robertson |
![]() |
||||||
2010 | Shelley Carbone [12] |
![]() |
||||||
2011 | April Lufriu |
![]() |
Mrs. World | First-generation American (parents from Honduras) | ||||
Lara Leimana Fonoimoana |
![]() |
Originally 1st runner-up, ascended to title when April Lufriu won Mrs. World | ||||||
2012 | Vicki Sarber |
![]() |
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. | |||||
2013 | Austen (Brown) Williams |
![]() |
N/A | Previously
Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2002 (Miss Congeniality) Competed at Mrs. World along with her 1st runner through invitation of the national office [13] | ||||
Kaley Sparling [14] |
![]() |
Mrs. World | Named 1st runner-up in 2013 Mrs. America pageant
[13] Competed alongside of Williams at Mrs. World 2013 pageant by invitation of the national office [13] | |||||
2014 | Michelle Nicole Evans |
![]() |
||||||
2015 | Madeline (Mitchell) Gwin |
![]() |
Former Miss Alabama USA 2011 and 2nd runner up for Miss USA 2011 | |||||
2016 | Natalie Luttmer |
![]() |
Top 10 | |||||
2017 | Mekayla (Diehl) Eppers |
![]() |
Top 12 | Former Miss Indiana USA 2014 and top 20 at Miss USA 2014 | ||||
2018 | Nicole (Rash) Cook [15] |
![]() |
Top 6 | Former
Miss Indiana 2007 1st runner up at Miss America 2008 pageant Former Ms. Missouri 2012 and Ms. America 2012 [16] Also competed as Mrs. Illinois in 2014 | ||||
2019 | Natalie Winslow |
![]() |
||||||
2021 | Brooklyn Rivera |
![]() |
||||||
21/22 | Jackie Blankenship |
![]() |
||||||
22/23 | Nicole La Ha Zwiercan |
![]() |
Top 6 | Elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 2022 | ||||
23/24 | Regina Stock |
![]() |
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: [11] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22]
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]
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
Nicole Elizabeth Cook of Illinois was crowned Mrs. America.