Black Beauties: African American Pageant Queens in the Segregated South

In 1984, Vanessa Williams broke the race barrier to become Miss America, but she was not the first Black woman to wear a pageant crown.Black beauty pageants created a distinctive and celebrated cultural tradition during some of the most dismal times in the country's racial history. With the rise of the civil rights and Black Pride movements, pageantry also represented a component of social activism. Professor Kimberly Pellum explores this glamourous and profound history with contributions by dozens of former contestants who share their personal experiences.Product DetailsISBN-13: 9781467144827 Media Type: Paperback Publisher: History Press Publication Date: 02-03-2020 Pages: 144 Product Dimensions: 8.90h x 6.00w x 0.30d Series: American HeritageAbout the Author Pellum Phd, Kimberly Brown: - With a terminal degree in United States history from Howard University, Dr. Kimberly Brown Pellum specializes in the history of women's images, southern culture and the Black Freedom Struggle. Her c