It began in 1921, when East Coast newspapers sent their city representatives to the Second Annual Fall Frolic as special guests. For more information, click here.

After Miss America is selected she embarks on a year-long national speaking tour.  As a national spokesperson and advocate, Miss America travels approximately 20,000 miles a month, to a different city every other day, addressing diverse audiences, increasing awareness and promoting her chosen platform.

Yes. In 1952, Catalina Swimsuits founded the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants as product promotion tools.  Developed by the Miss America Organization, the Miss America program exists to provide personal and professional opportunities for young women to promote their voices in culture, politics and the community.  Almost all contestants have either received, or are in the process of earning college or postgraduate degrees and utilize Miss America scholarship grants to further their educations.  The Miss America Organization is the leading provider of scholarships for young women in the world.  Although some young women compete in both Miss America and Miss USA, the two systems are completely separate.

To become Miss America, a contestant must first win a local competition and then compete to represent her state, a process requiring personal commitment, hard work and talent.  A woman may compete at the state level more than once, but may only represent her state in the national Miss America competition one time.