The Miss Tennessee pageant was first held in 1938, although the winner, Isobel Carter, was unable to compete at Miss America due to illness and so the 1st runner-up became Miss Tennessee. The following year, two winners were chosen to compete for the Miss America title. In 1940 the pageant suffered a repeat of 1938, with the winner resigning through illness and the 1st runner-up representing the state at the national competition. The routine pageant was held in 1941, but from 1942 to 1946 representatives were appointed without a pageant being held, due to World War II. In 1947 twins Jean and Jane Cunningham were both awarded the Miss Tennessee title, with one representing Tennessee and one Chattanooga at the Miss America pageant. The modern era of the pageant can be dated to 1953, when a regular routine of state pageants was instituted.
Barbara Jo Walker was crowned Miss America 1947 and represented the city of Memphis when she won the title. Kellye Cash, Miss America 1987, was the second Miss Tennessee to win the national title. All three Miss Tennessees from 1999 to 2001 later won the similar Miss Tennessee USA pageant, whose delegates represent Tennessee at the Miss USA pageant. Three other Miss Tennessees have won the Miss Tennessee USA title, Jean Harper, Desiree Daniels, and Leah Hulan. Two Miss Tennessees have won the National Sweetheart title, Rita Wilson and Vicki Hurd.
In the fall of 2018, the Miss America Organization terminated the former Miss Tennessee organization's license as well as licenses from Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.[1][2] On December 22, 2018, Miss America Awarded a new license for Tennessee naming Joe Albright as CEO; Lanna Keck-Smith, Miss Tennessee 1997, as Executive Director; and Caty Davis, Miss Tennessee 2017, as the Chief People Officer.
The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Tennessee titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.
Top 10: Gerry Johnson (1955), Marion "Mickey" Wayland (1960), Brenda Seal (1969), Deborah Kincaid (1975), Linda Moore (1978), Shelly Mangrum (1985), Erin Hatley (2012), Chandler Lawson (2013), Hayley Lewis (2015), Grace Burgess (2017)
Top 12: Caty Davis (2018)
Top 13: Lee Henson (1945)
Top 15: Georgia Cunningham (1947), Lois Jeanette Welch (1948), Jean Harper (1952)
Resigned on May 10, 2019 claiming adverse circumstances, "blatant disregard" for her role as a titleholder, and an "ill-conceived" leadership transition after the state organization was terminated in September 2018. [11]
No Tennessee representative at Miss America pageant[45]
Notes
↑ Titleholder extended to a second full year in 2020 after state and national pageants postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic[4][5]
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↑ "Trade Conditions". The Jewelers' Circular. Vol.88. April 23, 1924. p.92 – via Google Books. Miss Elizabeth Mallory, Miss Memphis for 1923, pitched the first ball.
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