Miss America 1951 , the 24th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 9, 1950. Based on the majority of Miss America's reign occurring during the year following her coronation, the pageant began referring to her title with the upcoming year. Thus, Yolande Betbeze, who was crowned in September 1950 would be called Miss America 1951. This continued until pageant activities moved from September to January in 2006. At that point, the queen would once again have the year of her title the same as the year in which she won. This also happened recently in 2024.That change also marked the move away from its long-time base and point of origin, Atlantic City, to its new home in Las Vegas , Nevada .[ 1] [ 2] [ 3] [ 4]
Placement
Contestant
Miss America 1951
1st Runner-Up
2nd Runner-Up
3rd Runner-Up
4th Runner-Up
Top 16
Title
Name
Hometown
Age
Talent
Placement
Awards
Notes
Alabama
Yolande Betbeze
Mobile
21
Classical Vocal, "Caro Nome" from Rigoletto
Winner
Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness Award
Betbeze's refusal to pose in a swimsuit after her win lead to the pull-out of swimsuit sponsor Catalina & ultimately the creation of the Miss USA pageant
Alaska
Maxine Cothern
Fairbanks
Speech, "Alaska"
Arizona
Kathryn Lunsford
Phoenix
Modern Dance
Arkansas
Mary Jennings
Hot Springs
Classical Vocal, "Un Bel Dì " from Madama Butterfly
3rd Runner-up
Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness Award
Was a featured soprano with the New York City Opera
Judged the Miss America 1989 and Miss America 1991 pageants
California
Joanne Durant
San Diego
Vocal/Poetry Recitation, "Alice Blue Gown "
Top 16
Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness Award
Canada
Margaret Eleanore Bradford
Windsor
Chicago
Marjorie Adams
Chicago
Monologue, "To the Lovely Margaret"
Top 16
Colorado
Barbara Norrish
Longmont
Violin
Connecticut
Renee Roy
Hartford
Comedy Sketch of a Cosmetic Demonstration and Vocal/Dance, "Charley, My Boy "
Top 16
Preliminary Talent Award
Later Miss New York City USA 1954
Delaware
Lorna Edwardson
Dover
Classical Vocal, "Un Bel Dì " from Madama Butterfly
District of Columbia
Sandra Stahl
21
Classical Vocal, "The Bell Song" from Lakmé
Top 16
Preliminary Talent Award
Florida
Janet Ruth Crockett
St. Petersburg
Vocal & Pantomime from The Perils of Pauline
2nd Runner-up
Georgia
Louise Thomas
Fitzgerald
Greater Philadelphia
Janice Murray
Philadelphia
Classical Vocal, '''O Don Fatale" from Don Carlos
Top 16
Hawaii
Dell'Finn Kala'upaona Po'aha
Honolulu
Miss Congeniality
Idaho
Barbara Norton
Burley
Vocal, "A Heart That's Free" from Two Weeks with Love
Illinois
Catherine Kleinschmidt
Granite City
Vocal, "Come to the Fair"
Indiana
Pat Berry
Indianapolis
Vocal, "I'm Falling in Love with Someone" from Naughty Marietta
Iowa
Mary Virginia Lines
Clarinda
18
Piano/Marimba, "Stardust"
Kansas
Anabel Baker
Wichita
Dramatic Monologue from Macbeth
Kentucky
Mary Louise Osborne
Wheelwright
Drama
Louisiana
Rowena Taliaferro
Winnsboro
Maine
Jane Harragan
Millinocket
Dramatic Monologue, "The Corn is Green"
Maryland
Ann Uri
Baltimore
Vocal/Piano
Massachusetts
Britta Berg
Boston
Michigan
Bette Lou Pittman
Owosso
Monologue, "I Like Americans"
Minnesota
Jeanne Traun
Minneapolis
Vocal
Mississippi
Annie Roberts
Hattiesburg
Missouri
Beverly Rotroff
Kansas City
Vocal/Piano
Montana
Donna Marie Buls
Missoula
Nebraska
Jinx Burrus
Crete
Baton Twirling
Nevada
Tosca Masini
Sparks
Comedy Characterization
Top 16
New Hampshire
Betty Laurie
Concord
New Jersey
June Stephens
Ship Bottom
Comic Sketch, "The Older Set"
Top 16
New Mexico
Martha Rose Wilson
Santa Fe
New York
Marilyn Reynolds
Syracuse
Vocal, "I'll Take Romance"
New York City
Phyllis Battleson
New York City
Classical Vocal, "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix "
Top 16
North Carolina
Carolyn Edwards
Leaksville
Monologue, "Rumba" by Dorothy Parker
Top 16
North Dakota
Joan Teets
Minot
Comedy Monologue, "Touch of Norway"
Non-finalist Talent Award
Ohio
Irene Farren
Grand River
Fashion Design
Oklahoma
Louise O'Brien
Tulsa
Vocal, "'Twas Only an Irishman's Dream"
4th Runner-up
Oregon
Elizabeth Ann Baker
Monmouth
Classical Piano, Clair de Lune
Pennsylvania
Emilie Longacre
Phoenixville
Vocal, "You're My Everything "
Puerto Rico
Evangelina Moragón
South Carolina
Carolyn Fowler
Lyman
17
Vocal, "Why Don't You Fall in Love with Me"
South Dakota
Irene O'Connor
Burbank
Dramatic Monologue, "Dedication of the White Armor" from Saint Joan
1st Runner-up
Preliminary Talent Award
Tennessee
Greta Graham
Memphis
Organ, "Tico-Tico no Fubá "
Texas
Margaret Sommers
Dallas
Classical Vocal, "Jealousy"
Top 16
Utah
Joanne Hinard
Provo
East Indian Dance
Vermont
Eleanor Kangas
Springfield
Virginia
Gloria Fenderson
Petersburg
Washington
Karlyne Abele
Des Moines
Dramatic Reading, "The Flag"
Top 16
Wisconsin
Gloria Lange
Milwaukee
20
Operatic Vocal, "Donkey Serenade" from The Firefly
Wyoming
Lenore Hoffman
Cheyenne
^ United Press International (1950-09-11). "Miss America Would Rather Go To School Than Get Married". El Paso Herald-Post. p. 10.
^ Associated Press (1950-09-11). "Brown-Haired Alabama Beauty Wins Miss America Crown". Portland Press Herald. p. 1.
^ Associated Press (2005-08-26). "There She Isn't: Miss America Pageant Leaves Atlantic City". New York Times .
^ "1950 Yolande Betbeze" . Archived from the original on 2010-10-11. Retrieved 2010-08-29 .
Saulino Osborne, Angela (1995). "Miss Americas and their Courts". Miss America The Dream Lives On . Taylor Publishing Company. ISBN 0-87833-110-7 .