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3 black women win Miss USA, Miss Teen USA and Miss America

May 3, 2019 | 2:47 PM

NEW YORK — When Cheslie Kryst won the Miss USA crown, it marked more than a personal triumph: It meant that for the first time, three black women are the reigning Miss USA, Miss Teen USA and Miss America.

The North Carolina lawyer completed the historic triple Thursday with pageant winners 2019 Miss America Nia Franklin and recently crowned 2019 Miss Teen USA Kaliegh Garris.

Miss USA started in 1952. The first black winner wasn’t until 1990.

Miss USA The Miss America pageant began in 1921 but women of colour were barred from participating until 1940 by a rule that said contestants must be of “the white race.”

In 1970, Cheryl Browne became the first black woman to participate in the Miss America pageant.

Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press