Suzette Charles
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| Suzette Charles Beauty pageant titleholder |
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| Birth name: | Suzette DeGaetano |
| Birthdate: | March 2, 1963 |
| Birth location: | Mays Landing, New Jersey |
| Title(s): | Miss New Jersey 1983 Miss America 1984 |
| Major Competition(s): | Miss America 1984 |
Suzette Charles (born Suzette DeGaetano on March 2, 1963) is an American singer and entertainer.
Born in Mays Landing, New Jersey, she represented New Jersey in the 1984 Miss America pageant held in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She won her preliminary talent night and finished first runner-up to Vanessa Lynn Williams, who became the first African-American to wear the crown and title of Miss America. When Williams resigned the title in scandal, Charles fulfilled her duties for the remaining seven weeks, making her the second African-American Miss America. Charles also became the first Italian-American Miss America.
Charles, who already had many credits in advertising and educational television, has gone on to a career as a singer, entertainer, and television personality. She has acted on the CBS television series Frank's Place and performed on This Morning, a British television show. She narrated the motion picture, Beyond The Dream, and has appeared on stage with Stevie Wonder, Alan King, Joel Grey, Lou Rawls.
Her musical recordings include the hit single "Free To Love Again" as well as "After You're Gone", "Don't Stop All (The Love You Can Give)", "Every Time We Touch", and "Just For A Minute" (all written and produced by Mike Stock and Pete Waterman), as both a solo artist and with The Suzette Charles Band. Her producers have included Pete Waterman (who called her "the greatest voice I have ever heard"[citation needed]) and Michael Raye.
Her father, Charles DeGaetano, is of Italian descent,[1] and her mother, Suzette Adams, is African-American, and was the elementary school music teacher in the Buena Regional School District, Buena, New Jersey.
Charles has been a resident of Mays Landing, New Jersey.[2]
Charles's 7-week reign is the shortest served by any Miss America.
[edit] Sources
[edit] References
- ^ ITALIAN AMERICAN WOMEN TRAIL BLAZERS. The National Italian American Foundation. Retrieved on 2007-05-27.
- ^ Chira, Susan. "TO FIRST BLACK MISS AMERICA, VICTORY IS A MEANS TO AN END", The New York Times, September 19, 1983. Accessed December 4, 2007. "Her home is in Mays Landing, 15 miles west of Atlantic City, the site of the contest."
| Preceded by Vanessa Williams |
Miss America 1984 |
Succeeded by Sharlene Wells |
| Persondata | |
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| NAME | Charles, Suzette |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Singer, Miss America |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 2, 1963 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
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