THREE BLACK QUEENS OF AMERICA - FIRST TIME IN HISTORY

Repost of 

3 Black Women Just Made Pageant History — & The Internet Is Celebrating

THATIANA DIAZ, MAY 3, 2019, 4:30 PM

Last night, Black women dominated in the Miss USA pageant. Throughout the two-hour telecast, the 51 contestants were cut down to semifinalists and then finalists, each competing in swimsuit and evening gown segments. As the competition whittled down to the final five, three Black women were left standing on the stage: Miss North Carolina Cheslie Kryst, Miss Nevada Tianna Tuamoheloa, and Miss Oklahoma Triana Browne. Ultimately, Miss North Carolina — a full-time attorney — walked away with the Miss USA title.

In the 67-year history of the Miss USA pageant, many Black women have worn the crown. Carole Anne-Marie Gist was the first to take it in 1990, and more recently women like Deshauna Barber and Kára McCullough have taken the Miss USA title. But what made last night extra special was the fact that Kryst was handed a bouquet of flowers by Miss Teen USA 2019 Kaliegh Garris, a young Black woman who won her pageant earlier in the week. One Twitter user summed up our feelings exactly: "All these Black women snatching these crowns, literally. I love it! Miss Teen USA, now Miss USA are both Black women!"

It didn't take long for Twitter to realize that, on the other side of the pageant spectrum, the current Miss America Nia Franklin is also Black. That's three Black queens — Miss USA, Miss America, and Miss Teen USA — serving simultaneously for the first time ever.