Bess Myerson
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Bess Myerson (born July 16, 1924, Bronx, New York) in 1945 became the first Jewish person to win the Miss America pageant. She appeared in various television shows in the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1970s and 80s, she was involved in New York City politics.
While competing in beauty pageants, Myerson refused, despite entreaties, to employ a pseudonym that "sounded less Jewish". She faced prejudice even after winning the Miss America title, with many sponsors and events long associated with the pageant refusing to deal with her. She later campaigned for civil rights, in particular, working with the Anti-Defamation League.
In 1954, Myerson was a panelist on The Name's the Same television game show, and from 1958 through 1967 was a panelist on I've Got a Secret. She also worked as an actress on other shows.
She has survived ovarian cancer, a very lethal disease, and diagnosed in 1973. She also suffered a stroke many years later.
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[edit] Politics
Myerson was New York City's first Commissioner of Consumer Affairs (under Mayor John Lindsay), later serving as Commissioner of Cultural Affairs under Mayor Ed Koch. In 1977, she was a frequent public companion of Ed Koch during his campaign for mayor, possibly to offset charges that Koch was gay. (Vote for Cuomo, not the homo was used as a slogan by some of Cuomo's supporters in New York's 1982 gubernatorial race, though Mario Cuomo himself reportedly did not endorse it.)
In 1980, Myerson ran for the Democratic nomination for New York's U.S. Senate seat against Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman, Queens District Attorney John Santucci, and former New York City mayor John Lindsay. Myerson lost to Holtzman by a slim margin. Meanwhile, Alfonse D'Amato had defeated Jacob Javits, the incumbent, in the GOP primary. The ailing Javits ran as a Liberal, splitting the left of center opposition to d'Amato, who narrowly defeated Holtzman. After her loss, it was said that she seemed "too tall and beautiful" to be a Senator.
[edit] Later years
In the 1980s, Myerson's life was darkened by a messy legal controversy. Her lover, who had been convicted of tax fraud, was accused of bribing a judge by giving her daughter a job in Myerson's department. Meyerson was herself indicted and resigned her positions with the city of New York. She was ultimately acquitted. The scandal is the subject of a book by Alexander (1991). In recent years, she has promoted social causes and engaged in philanthropy.
[edit] References
- Dworkin, Susan, 1987. Miss America, 1945: Bess Myerson's Own Story. ISBN 1-55704-000-1
- Shana Alexander, 1991. When She Was Bad. Dell.
[edit] External link
| Preceded by Venus Ramey |
Miss America 1945 |
Succeeded by Marilyn Buferd |
