Miss Alabama

For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss Alabama USA.

The Miss Alabama competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the U.S. state of Alabama in the Miss America pageant.

Miss Alabamas have performed strongly at the Miss America pageant, particularly in the early 21st century, when the state produced their third Miss America, a first runner-up, a second runner-up, a fourth runner-up, two semi-finalists, and one quarter-finalist.

They did very well in the '80s, as well, placing 1st runner up to Miss America 1981, 3rd runner-up 1983, 2nd runner-up 1984, 4th runner-up 1986, top 10 1987, and 4th runner-up 1989. Miss Alabama was also 1st runner up to Miss America 1979.

Alabama has won three Miss America titles: Deidre Downs in 2005, Heather Whitestone (the first deaf woman to win the Miss America crown) in 1994, and Yolande Betbeze in 1951. Betbeze is well known as the Miss America who refused to pose in a swimsuit, causing swimsuit sponsors Catalina to pull out and start the Miss USA pageant.

1 Results summary
- 1.1 Placements
- 1.2 Awards
2 Local pageants
3 Winners
4 References
5 External links

Results summary

The year in brackets indicates the year of the Miss America competition the award/placement was garnered.

Placements

Miss Americas: Yolande Betbeze (1951), Heather Whitestone (1995), Deidre Downs (2005)
1st runners-up: Teresa Cheatham (1979), Paige Phillips (1981), Scarlotte Deupree (2003)
2nd runners-up: Frances Dorn (1945), Martha Ann Ingram (1948), Anne Stuart Ariail (1957), Pam Battles (1984), Alexa Jones (2006)
3rd runners-up: Peggy Elder (1947), Gwen Harmon (1953), Virginia McDavid (1954), Yolanda Fernandez (1983), Alison McCreary (1997)
4th runners-up: Betty Jane Rase (1944), Angela Tower (1986), Jenny Jackson (1989), Melinda Toole (2007)
Semi-Finalists: Tommy Marie Peck (1936), Mildred Oxford (1938), Florine Holt (1939), Virginia McGraw (1941), Marie Duncan (1942), Marilyn Tate (1955), Patricia Huddleston (1956), Lee Thornberry (1959), Teresa Rinaldi (1961), Delores Hodgens (1962), Judy Short (1964), Vickie Powers (1965), Linda Folsom (1966), Angie Grooms (1967), Dellynne Catching (1969), Angela Callahan (1987), Kalyn Chapman (1994), Leigh Sherer (1996), Julie Smith (2000), Jana Sanderson (2001), Catherine Crosby (2004), Amanda Tapley (2009)

Awards

Preliminary Awards

Preliminary Swimsuit: Virginia McGraw (1941), Marie Duncan (1942), Peggy Elder (1947), Yolande Betbeze (1951), Gwen Harmon (1953), Judy Short (1964), Dellynne Catching (1969), Teresa Cheatham (1979), Angela Tower (1986), Heather Whitestone (1995), Ashley Davis (2011)
Preliminary Talent: Frances Dorn (1945), Emma Dale Nunnally (1946), Jeanne Moody (1952), Patricia Huddleston (1956), Anne Stuart Ariail (1957), Lee Thornberry (1959), Teresa Rinaldi (1961), Judy Short (1964), Vickie Powers (1965), Linda Folsom (1966), Suzanne Dennie (1971), Teresa Cheatham (1979), Paige Phillips (1981), Heather Whitestone (1995)

Non-Finalist Awards

Non-Finalist Talent: Anna Stange (1958), Betty Lindstrom (1960), Patricia Bonner (1963), Kathy Pickett (1979), Tammy Little (1985)
Non-Finalist Interview: Resha Riggins (1991)

Quality of Life Award

Winners: Kim Wimmer (1993), Alison McCreary (1997), Catherine Crosby (2004), Deidre Downs (2005)
1st runners-up: Scarlotte Deupree (2003), Melinda Toole (2007)
2nd runners-up: Alexa Jones (2006), Amanda Tapley (2009)
Finalists: Liz Cochran (2010)

Other

Miss Congeniality: Toula Hagestratou (1943), Melinda Toole (2007)
Active International For Business & Marketing: Catherine Crosby (2004)

Local pageants

As with many other Miss America state pageants, delegates first must qualify by winning a local pageant. Local titles that have produced more than one Miss Alabama are:

Miss Samford University - Amanda Tapley (2008), Melinda Toole (2006), Jana Sanderson (2000), Alison McCreary (1996), Amie Beth Dickinson (1994)
Miss Leeds Area - Paige Phillips (1980), Kayln Chapman (1993), Diedre Downs (2004)Courtney Porter (2011)
Miss Homewood Area - Catherine Crosby (2003), Kelly Jones (2001)
Miss Cullman Area - Ashley Halfman (1998), Heather Whitestone (1994}
Miss Point Mallard - Teresa Cheatham (1978), Kim Wimmer (1992)
Miss West Central Alabama - Shannon Camper (2004) Ashley Davis (2010)

Winners

Year	Name	Hometown	Age	Local Title	Miss America Talent	Placement at Miss America	Special scholarships at Miss America	Notes
2011	Courtney Porter^[1]	Clay	24	Miss Leeds Area	Tap Dance
2010	Ashley Davis	Dothan	21	Miss West Central Alabama	Vocal "If I Had My Way"		Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award
2009	Liz Cochran	Helena	20	Miss Hoover	Dance "He Lives in You"		Quality of Life Finalist^[2]
2008	Amanda Tapley	Birmingham	20	Miss Samford University	Classical Piano	Top 15 Semi-Finalist^[3]	Quality of Life 2nd runner-up	was awarded a "wild card" golden sash and voted into the top 15 by the American viewing public
2007	Jamie Langley	Wadley	24	Miss Painted Rock	Vocal "Listen"
2006	Melinda Toole^[4]	Birmingham	23	Miss Samford University	Vocal "Time to Say Goodbye"	4th runner-up at Miss America 2007	Quality of Life 1st runner-up	Miss Congeniality
2005	Alexa Jones^[5]	Andalusia	24	Miss Mobile	Ballet en Pointe "Fuego"	2nd runner-up at Miss America 2006	Quality of Life 2nd runner-up
2004	Shannon Camper*^[6]	Gadsden		Miss West Central Alabama	Vocal			1st runner-up to Miss Alabama 2004; Assumed title when Deidre Downs won Miss America title
2004	Deidre Downs^[7]	Birmingham	24	Miss Leeds Area	Vocal "I'm Afraid This Must Be Love"	Winner of Miss America 2005^[8]	Quality of Life Award
2003	Catherine Crosby^[9]	Brewton	23	Miss Homewood Area	Flute "Riverdance"	Top 15 Semi-Finalist]^[10]	Quality of Life award; Active International For Business & Marketing
2002	Scarlotte Deupree^[11]	Birmingham	22	Miss Camellia	Vocal "Holding Out for a Hero"	1st runner-up at Miss America 2003	1st runner-up Quality of Life award
2001	Kelly Jones^[12]	Birmingham	24	Miss Homewood Area	Classical Piano "Ballade No. 1 in G Minor"
2000	Jana Sanderson^[13]	Gadsden	21	Miss Samford University	Vocal "I'm a Woman"	Semi-finalist
1999	Julie Smith^[14]	Birmingham	23	Miss Chattahoochee Valley	Marimba medley "Flight of the Bumblebee" & Csárdás"	Semi-finalist		She and her younger twin sisters Jill and Jennifer competed in the Miss Alabama 1997 pageant, the first time three sisters had competed in the same year.^[15]
1998	Ashley Halfman^[16]	Birmingham	23	Miss Cullman Area	Ballet en Pointe "Everybody Says Don't"			Former Alabama's Junior Miss 1993^[17]
1997	Beth Stomps ^[18]	Mobile	20	Miss Alabama Music Hall of Fame	Vocal "Love Changes Everything" from Aspects of Love
1996	Alison McCreary	Florence	22	Miss Samford University	Vocal "How Great Thou Art"	3rd runner-up	Quality of Life award
1995	Leigh Sherer	Jasper	22	Miss Walker County	Piano/Vocal "Medley from Carmen"	Semi-finalist		Current Mu Alpha Sigma Alumni (Former State and Local Contestants) coordinator of the Miss Alabama pageant under her married name, Leigh Seirafi^[19]
1994	Amie Beth Dickinson*			Miss Samford University
1994	Heather Whitestone	Birmingham	21	Miss Cullman Area	Ballet en Pointe "Via Dolorosa"	Winner Miss America 1995^[20]	Preliminary swimsuit award; Preliminary Talent Award	First deaf Miss Alabama and Miss America^[21]
1993	Kalyn Chapman	Mobile	22	Miss Leeds Area	Modern Dance "The River"	Semi-finalist		First African-American woman to become Miss Alabama^[22]
1992	Kim Wimmer	Mobile	21	Miss Point Mallard	Vocal "Hold On" from The Secret Garden	Quality of Life Award Winner		Former Alabama's Junior Miss 1989
1991	Wendy Neuendorf	Birmingham	22	Miss Auburn University	Vocal Comedy "They Can't Take That Away From Me"			Former Miss Georgia Teen USA 1986^[23]
1990	Resha Riggins	Trussville	24	Miss Alabama Music Hall of Fame	Vocal "Cry"		Nonfinalist Interview Award
1989	Julie Coons	Birmingham	20		Vocal
1988	Jenny Jackson	Auburn	21	Miss Auburn University	Classical Piano "Warsaw Concerto"	4th runner-up at Miss America 1989
1987	Kym Williams	Birmingham	22	Miss All-American Bowl	Vocal "If We Only Have Love"
1987	Julie Hitt							Resigned because she felt she would not be able to fulfill the responsibilities of the title and wanted to get on with her life and career.^[24]
1986	Angela Callahan	Birmingham	20	Miss All-American Bowl	Piano "The Windmills of Your Mind"	semi-finalist
1985	Angela Tower	Birmingham	25	Miss Jefferson County	Ballet en Pointe "Chariots of Fire"	4th runner-up at Miss America 1986	Preliminary Swimsuit Award	Toured with 1986 Miss America Gillette Show Troupe. Mother of Miss Alabama's Outstanding Teen 2010 Scarlett Walker.
1984	Tammy Little	Section	23	Miss Hoover Area	Vocal "Hit Me With a Hot Note" from Sophisticated Ladies		Nonfinalist Talent Award
1983	Pam Battles	Muscle Shoals	21	Miss Dixie	Piano Solo "Gershwin Medley"	2nd runner-up at Miss America 1984
1982	Yolanda Fernandez	Troy	19	Miss Troy State University	Classical Piano "Fantasie Impromptu"	3rd runner-up		Former Florida's Junior Miss 1980; reporter for WFLA-TV Channel 8^[25]
1981	Phoebe Stone	Huntsville	22	Miss Eastwood	Ballet "Mame"			Toured with Miss America USO Troupe
1980	Paige Phillips	Leeds	17	Miss Leeds Area	Double Ventriloquism/Vocal "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" "Swanee" & "Mame"	1st runner-up	Preliminary Talent Award	Toured with Miss America USO Troupe
1979	Kathy Pickett	Mulga	26	Miss Birmingham	Classical Vocal "Sempre Libera" from La Traviata		Non Finalist Talent Award	Toured with Miss America USO Troupe 1980 & Guest Performer Miss America Pageant 1981
1978	Teresa Cheatham	Wellington	20	Miss Point Mallard	Semi-Classical Vocal "And This Is My Beloved"	1st runner-up	Preliminary Swimsuit Award; Preliminary Talent Award	Toured with Miss America USO Troupe 1979 Guest Performer Miss America Pageant 1979
1977	Julie Houston	Heflin	22	Miss Oak Mountain	Banjo "Beverly Hillbillies Theme"
1976	Denise Davis	Russellville	18		Popular Vocal			Toured with Miss America USO Troupe
1975	Susie Vaughn	Florence	21	Miss University of North Alabama	Classical Vocal "Vilja" from The Merry Widow
1974	Pam Long	Florence	20	Miss Florence State University	Ventriloquism			Screenwriter of soap opera Guiding Light
1973	Jane Rice	Huntsville	21	Miss Jacksonville State University	Vocal "Tapestry" & "I Will Never Pass This Way Again"
1972	Freita Fuller	Opelika	19		Hula & Tahitian Dance
1971	Ceil Jenkins	Birmingham	21		Vocal / Dance "But Alive" from Applause
1970	Suzanne Dennie	Birmingham	20		Popular Vocal "Alfie"		Preliminary Talent Award
1969	Ann Fowler	Birmingham	21		Vocal "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" from Fiddler on the Roof			Former Alabama's Junior Miss 1966; Toured with Miss America USO Troupe
1968	Dellynne Catching	Birmingham	19		Piano Medley "Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum" "America the Beautiful" & "This Is My Country"	Semi-finalist	Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1967	Becky Alford	Birmingham	20		Vocal "Ain't This a Pretty Night" from Susannah
1966	Angie Grooms	Birmingham	21		Folk Singing & Guitar "Today" & "If I Had a Hammer"	Semi-finalist		Toured with Miss America USO Troupe
1965	Linda Folsom	New Brockton	20		Classical Vocal "Caro Nome" from Rigoletto	Semi-finalist	Preliminary Talent Award
1964	Vickie Powers	Mobile	19		Classical Vocal "Habanera"	Semi-finalist	Preliminary Talent Award	Featured Performer on the 1965 Miss America telecast
1963	Judy Short	Birmingham			Marimba "Horst Toccata"	Semifinalist	Preliminary Swimsuit Award; Preliminary Talent Award	Former Alabama's Junior Miss 1962
1962	Patricia Bonner	Camden	22		Classical Vocal "O Luce di Quest'Anima" from Linda di Chamounix		Nonfinalist Talent Award
1961	Delores Hodgens	Bessemer	23		Classical Piano "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12"	Semi-finalist
1960	Teresa Rinaldi	Birmingham	20		Classical Vocal "Addio" from La bohème	Semi-finalist	Preliminary Talent Award
1959	Betty Lindstrom	Birmingham	19		Dramatic Reading		Nonfinalist Talent Award
1958	Lee Thornberry	Birmingham			Vocal/Dance "Honey Bun" from South Pacific	Semi-finalist	Preliminary Talent Award
1957	Anna Stange	Birmingham			Monologue		Nonfinalist Talent Award
1956	Anne Stuart Ariail	Birmingham			Vocal / Dance "Ado Annie" from Oklahoma	2nd runner-up	Preliminary Talent Award
1955	Patricia Huddleston	Clanton			Classical Vocal "Pace, Pace Mio Dio!" from La Forza del Destino	Semi-finalist	Preliminary Talent Award
1954	Marilyn Tate	Haleyville			Ventriloquism / Classical Piano	Semi-finalist
1953	Virginia McDavid	Birmingham			Monologue "Tara" from Gone With the Wind	3rd runner-up
1952	Gwen Harmon	Birmingham			Vocal "A Heart That's Free"	3rd runner-up	Preliminary Swimsuit
1951	Jeanne Moody	Cherokee			Dramatic Skit "Sorry Wrong Number"	Placed among the Top 15	Preliminary Talent Award
1950	Yolande Betbeze	Mobile	21		Classical Vocal "Caro Nome" from Rigoletto	Winner	Preliminary Swimsuit	Betbeze's refusal to pose in a swimsuit lead to the pull-out of swimsuit sponsors Catalina and the creation of the Miss USA pageant
1949	Freida Roser	Birmingham			Classical Vocal
1948	Martha Ann Ingram	Tarrant City			Classical Vocal "Quando me'n vo'"	2nd runner-up
1948	Marjorie Orr	Birmingham						competed at Miss America as Miss Birmingham
1947	Peggy Elder	Gadsden			Vocal "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now"	3rd runner-up	Preliminary Swimsuit	Also crowned Miss Dixie in 1947
1946	Emma Dale Nunnally	Gadsden					Preliminary Talent
1946	Sue Delores Donegan	Birmingham						competed at Miss America as Miss Birmingham. Also competed in the 1948 Maid of Cotton Pageant.
1945	Frances Dorn	Birmingham			Tap Dance	2nd runner-up	Preliminary Talent	Competed at Miss America as Miss Birmingham
1944	Betty Jane Rase	Birmingham			Vocal Medley "My Hero" from The Chocolate Soldier & "Lover, Come Back to Me"	4th runner-up		competed at Miss America as Miss Birmingham
1943	Toula Hagestratou	Birmingham						Miss Congeniality, Competed at Miss America as Miss Birmingham
1942	Marie Duncan	Birmingham			Vocal "I Met Him On Monday"	Semi-finalist	Preliminary Swimsuit	competed at Miss America as Miss Birmingham
1941	Virginia McGraw	Birmingham			Tap Dance	Semi-finalist	Preliminary Swimsuit	competed at Miss America as Miss Birmingham
1940	Evelyn Motlow	Birmingham			Vocal			competed at Miss America as Miss Birmingham
1940	Carolyn Louise Foreman	Montgomery						competed at Miss America as Miss Montgomery
1939	Florine Holt	Birmingham			Vocal "Moonglow" & "A Little Bit of Heaven"	Semi-Finalist		competed at Miss America as Miss Birmingham
1939	Lillian Louise Robertson	Montgomery						competed at Miss America as Miss Montgomery
1938	Mildred Oxford	Birmingham			Tap Dance / Toe Ballet	Semi-Finalist		competed at Miss America as Miss Birmingham
1938	Patricia Ann McDaniels	Montgomery						competed at Miss America as Miss Montgomery
1937	Almeda Ingram Starkey	Montgomery						competed at Miss America as Miss Montgomery
1936	Tommy Marie Peck					Semi-Finalist
1936	Gloria Levings	Birmingham			Tap Dance	4th runner-up	Preliminary Talent Award	competed as Miss Birmingham
1935	Adelynn Owen	Birmingham						competed at Miss America as "Miss Birmingham"
1926	No Miss Alabama							Vivian McDowell competed as Miss Mobile in the Miss America Pageant
1925	No Miss Alabama							Nellie Kincaid competed as Miss Birmingham in the Miss America Pageant
1924	No Miss Alabama							Mildred Adams competed as Miss Birmingham in the Miss America Pageant
1923	No Miss Alabama							Louise Newman competed as Miss Birmingham in the Miss America Pageant
1922	No Miss Alabama							Elise Sparrow competed as Miss Birmingham in the Miss America Pageant
1921	No Miss Alabama							Lois Wilson was selected as Miss Birmingham but did not compete in the Miss America Pageant

* Succeeded to the crown after Miss Alabama won Miss America

References

^ "AU graduate named Miss Alabama". OA Now. June 11, 2011. http://www2.oanow.com/news/2011/jun/11/au-graduate-named-miss-alabama-ar-1961493/.
^ [1] Leach, Robin; 2010 Miss America Pageant contestants arrive on the Strip; Las Vegas Sun; January 21, 2010.
^ "2009 MISS AMERICA PAGEANT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS". Miss America Organization. http://www.missamerica.org/scholarships/recipients-2009.aspx. Retrieved July 10, 2010.
^ "Melinda Toole crowned Miss Alabama". Associated Press. 2006-06-11.
^ "Andalusia's Alexa Jones crowned Miss Alabama 2005". Associated Press. 2005-06-12.
^ "On seventh try, UA student from Gadsden becomes Miss Alabama". Associated Press. 2004-09-23.
^ "Birmingham's Deidre Downs crowned Miss Alabama 2004". Associated Press. 2004-06-13.
^ Curran, John (2004-09-18). "Miss Alabama Deidre Downs wins Miss America beauty pageant". Associated Press.
^ "Brewton native named Miss Alabama". Associated Press. 2003-06-14.
^ "The Miss America Competition 2003 Scholarship Winners". Miss America Organization. http://www.missamerica.org/scholarships/recipients-2003.aspx. Retrieved July 10, 2010.
^ "Birmingham's Scarlotte Deupree named Miss Alabama". Associated Press. 2002-06-02.
^ "UA's Kelly Jones new Miss Alabama". Associated Press. 2001-06-17.
^ "New Miss Alabama crowned in Birmingham". Associated Press. 2000-06-17.
^ "Miss Chattahoochee Valley wins two preliminaries heading into finals". Associated Press. 1999-06-19.
^ "Three sisters vying for title of Miss Alabama". Associated Press. 1997-06-09.
^ "Miss Cullman Area crowned Miss Alabama 1998". Associated Press. 1998-06-20.
^ "Former Alabama Jr. Miss wins Miss Alabama crown on fourth try". Associated Press. 1998-06-22.
^ "Mobile woman wins Miss Alabama crown". Associated Press. 1997-06-14.
^ "Miss Alabama Pageant Board of Directors". http://www.missalabama.com/index.cfm/Board-of-Directors.cfm. Retrieved July 10, 2010.
^ "Deaf dancer from Ala. wins hearts, Miss America crown". The Commercial Appeal. 1994-09-18. p. A2.
^ "Deaf woman aims for pageant crown". The Cincinnati Post. 1994-09-06. p. 10A.
^ Associated Press (1993-07-06). "Miss Alabama Is First Black". Tulsa World. p. A12.
^ Yardley, Jim (1991-06-20). "BRAINS ON PARADE? Miss Alabama pageant trying to boost image". Atlanta Journal and Constitution. p. A/3.
^ Associated Press (1987-06-15). "New Miss Alabama yields title, crown to student from Slidell". The Baton Rouge State Times. p. 18-C.
^ Holsten, Christine (1993-01-13). "Anchorwomen hope to come of age". St. Petersburg Times. p. 5B.