Carolyn Suzanne Sapp

Last updated
Carolyn Suzanne Sapp
Born (1967-04-05) April 5, 1967 (age 57)
Alma mater Hawaii Pacific University
Title Miss Hawaii 1991
Miss America 1992
Predecessor Marjorie Vincent
Successor Leanza Cornett
Spouse
Alex Daniels
(m. 2006)
Children3

Carolyn Sapp Daniels (born Carolyn Suzanne Sapp on April 5, 1967) is an actress, singer, stuntwoman, and motivational speaker best known as the first representative from Hawaii to win Miss America in 1992. [1]

Contents

Early life

Sapp was born in Kona to Susan and Fred Sapp, a dance teacher and Lutheran minister, respectively. Her parents divorced amicably when she was an infant. Sapp was raised by her step-grandparents and attended Columbia River Bible Church and Academy in Washington state from kindergarten to 12th grade.

Pageantry

Miss Hawaii

After graduating high school she financed her college education at Hawaii Pacific University by winning several pageants including Miss Kona Coffee, Miss Waikiki, Miss Honolulu, and Miss Hawaii Pacific University. [2] Sapp competed in Miss Hawaii four times before winning in 1991, enabling her to represent her state at the Miss America 1992 Pageant.

Miss America 1992

During the preliminary competition, Sapp won the preliminary swimsuit round and was crowned the winner of the pageant on the final night of competition becoming the first Miss America titleholder outside of the contiguous United States. [3]

A day after her coronation, it was revealed that Sapp had been in an abusive relationship with former New York Jets player Nuu Faaola whom she had dated before her Miss Hawaii tenure, and later stated that this leaked information was against her wishes as it was a personal matter. Although she had chosen education as her Miss America platform, Sapp also became a spokesperson for domestic violence victims, and founded the foundations Safe Places for Abused Women and Children, and Give Back a Smile. [4] [5]

Activism

After her reign, Sapp starred as herself in the autobiographical television movie, Miss America: Behind the Crown, which depicted the physically abusive relationship between her and Faaola. In interviews about the movie, she stated, "When I learned that abuse hotlines were receiving up to 1,000 calls a day, I decided I should make the movie. If Miss America can have this happen to her and get out of it, it will help other people. Women can use my pain to help gain strength". [6]

Sapp acted as spokesperson for, "Wal-Mart Versus Women" which promoted public awareness of the retail giant's nationwide pattern of discrimination against female employees. [7] and was interviewed in Andrew Munger's 2007 documentary Wal*Mart Nation. [8]

Sapp was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, in 2019 as an honoris causa initiate by Concordia University Irvine.

Personal life

Sapp married stuntman, Alex Daniels, on January 1, 2006. Together, the couple have three children, Kai O’Cain, Keira Makanalani, and Kale’a Charlie-Rose. [9]

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Miss America
1992
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Cheryl Toma
Miss Hawaii
1991
Succeeded by
Lani Stone
Preceded by
Mairead O'Connor
National Sweetheart
1990
Succeeded by

Related Research Articles

Angela Perez Baraquio Grey, known professionally by her birth name of Angela Perez Baraquio, is an American educator. She was crowned Miss America 2001 on October 14, 2000, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, becoming the first Asian American, first Filipino American, and first teacher ever to win the pageant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lupita Jones</span> Mexican TV producer, actress and model (born 1967)

María de Guadalupe "Lupita" Jones Garay is a Mexican actress, model, producer and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Universe 1991. She was the first Mexican contestant to win a major international beauty pageant, though two more Mexican women have been crowned Miss Universe since Jones' win.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mo'Nique</span> American comedian and actress (born 1967)

Monique Angela Hicks, known mononymously as Mo'Nique, is an American stand-up comedian and actress. She has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award, as well as nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Grammy Award.

Nu'u Fa'aola is a former running back of Samoan ancestry who played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1986 to 1989. He played for the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins primarily on special teams after playing collegiately at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Fa'aola attended Farrington High School in Honolulu, Hawai'i. He was originally a ninth round draft selection for the Jets in the 1986 NFL draft.

Shawnae Nicole Jebbia is an American entertainer and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 1998.

The Miss Hawaii USA competition, previously known as Miss Hawaii Universe, is a beauty pageant that selects the representative for the state of Hawaii in the Miss USA pageant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judi Andersen</span> American actress and national pageant winner

Judi Andersen Harrison is an American actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss USA 1978. Andersen was born in Honolulu, and attended Punahou School before moving to Millbrook, New York to study fashion design at Bennett College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanya Wilson</span> American beauty pageant titleholder (born 1950)

Tanya Denise Wilson is an American model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss USA 1972. Wilson had previously been crowned Miss Hawaii USA 1972, and placed in the top twelve at Miss Universe 1972, where she represented the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debbye Turner</span>

Debrah Lynn 'Debbye' Turner Bell is an American TV anchor, veterinarian, talk show host, former beauty queen and winner of the 1990 Miss America pageant.

The Miss Hawaii competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the State of Hawaii in the Miss America pageant, and the name of the title held by that winner. Hawaii first competed at Miss America in 1948 and has twice won the Miss America title, in 1992 and 2001.

Tina Marie Machado, formerly Placourakis, is an American actress, businesswoman, former model, athlete and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Hawaii USA 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brook Lee</span> American beauty queen, Miss Universe 1997

Brook Antoinette Mahealani Lee is an American TV host, model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Hawaii USA 1997, Miss USA 1997 and Miss Universe 1997. Lee is the first native Hawaiian to win the title of Miss Universe.

Miss America 1992, the 65th Miss America pageant, was held on Saturday, September 14, 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauren Matsumoto</span> American politician

Lauren Kealohilani Cheape Matsumoto is an American politician and beauty pageant titleholder who currently serves as a member of the Hawaii State House from Hawaii's 38th District, previously the 45th District from 2012 to 2022. Matsumoto represents Schofield, Mokuleia, Waialua, Kunia, Waipio Acres, and her hometown of Mililani in the Hawaii State House of Representatives. She holds the title of Miss Hawaii 2011, and competed in the Miss America 2012 pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was born and raised in Mililani, Hawaii.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">April Masini</span> American advice columnist

April Masini is an American advice columnist also known for her political advocacy for the television and film industry in Hawaii.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kira Kazantsev</span> American beauty pageant contestant

Kira Dixon is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss America 2015 on September 14, 2014. She is the third consecutive Miss America winner from New York and had won the title of Miss New York on May 24, 2014, while serving as Miss City of New York.

Jeanné Kapela is an American politician and beauty pageant titleholder who has represented Hawaii's fifth district in the Hawaii House of Representatives since 2020. A Democrat, Kapela also was previously crowned Miss Hawaii 2015 and competed in Miss America 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebecca Anderson</span> American beauty pageant titleholder (born 1991)

Rebecca Anderson (Muessle) (born May 1991) is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Oregon City, Oregon. She won a series of local titles beginning in 2011 and was crowned Miss Oregon 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chelsea Hardin</span>

Chelsea Keolani Hardin is an American model, public speaker, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Hawaii USA 2016. She was the first runner-up to Deshauna Barber of District of Columbia at Miss USA 2016.

For the state pageant affiliated with Miss Teen USA, see Miss Hawaii Teen USA

References