How many women competed for the title as Miss Black USA this year?”
Miss Black USA 2009 Shayna Rudd representing Miss Black Pennsylvania tells press she still can’t believe she won the title. “It was really surprising because all of the ladies were so fabulous. I have gotten to the point of the competition where I wasn’t worried about winning. I was just worried about doing my very best because it was my last pageant. So, I just wanted to have a good time.” Appearing on TV today, Rudd is one of the few African-American women to also compete in the Miss America pageant in 2008 as Miss DC. How does Shayna Rudd compare the competitions: “I was told that one of the reasons that I didn’t do well was because I was too powerful and that I spoke with too much conviction.
The Miss Black USA Scholarship Pageant was founded in 1986 by Karen Arrington. The pageant is the number one source of scholarship funds for African American women. The pageant has become an institution in the African American community affording young women with a national stage to display their talent, beauty, and intellect and win scholarship opportunities. In 2007, over eighty percent of the delegates were pursuing graduate or professional degrees. The winner that year a 1st year medical student at Meharry Medical College. The pageant prides itself on celebrating the achievements of young African American women who are often not showcased in the mainstream media. Prospective delegates may apply online at the “pageant’s website”. The Miss Black USA pageant is not affiliated with Miss USA. One woman from each state and Puerto Rico compete.
