Million Dollar Pier Ballroom, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Entrants
73
Placements
15
Winner
Norma Smallwood Tulsa
← 1925
1927 →
Miss America 1926, the sixth Miss America pageant, was held at the Million Dollar Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Friday, September 10, 1926.[1][2][3] In selecting the new Miss America, it was the opinion of the judges that not only did the winner, Norma Smallwood, Miss Tulsa, have an excellent figure but also possessed a smile like that of Mona Lisa.[4]
Smallwood was the first Miss America to also win the award for "the most beautiful girl in evening gown" at the highly promoted National Beauty Tournament held during pageant week of the twenties. She proved to be an enormously popular selection.[5]
Upon victory, Smallwood, who was an art major at Oklahoma College for Women[6][7][8] in her sophomore year, stated she "might leave school for a year" and looked at her tenure as Miss America from a financial standpoint. She became the poster girl for Meadows Washing Machines and Westinghouse Electric, in addition to many others. It was said she made approximately $100,000 during her year.[9]
One of the finalists, Rosebud Blondell, became the successful Hollywood actress Joan Blondell.
Pictured are 63 of the 73 contestants of the 1926 Miss America Pageant
^"'Miss America' Likes Tall Man". The Pittsburgh Press. United Press. 1926-09-11. p. 1.
^"Miss America and her Second". Daily Globe. Associated Press. 1926-09-11. p. 1.
^"Tulsa Girl Wins Beauty Title". Harrison Times. 1926-09-17. p. 6.
^N.E.A. (1926-09-13). "Meet Mona Lisa of the U.S.A.". Manitowoc Herald News. p. 5.
^"Miss America History 1926". Archived from the original on 2012-05-02. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
^Lester, Terrell. "Reigning Queen//Former Tulsan Won 1926 Miss America Title," Tulsa World, April 6, 1997. Accessed March 20, 2015.
^"Miss America of 1926" OCW Trend, October 7, 1926. Accessed March 20, 2015.
^"Mona Lisa Was Not a Jazz Hound; Neither Is Miss America," Waco News-Tribune, September 16, 1926, p. 17.
^"Miss America History 1926". Archived from the original on 2012-05-02. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
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