# Miss America 1953

Miss America 1953, the 26th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 6, 1952.
Neva Jane Langley became the first Miss Georgia to win the crown.

## Results
### Placements

| Placement | Contestant |
| Miss America 1953 | Georgia – Neva Jane Langley |
| 1st Runner-Up | Indiana – Ann Marie Garnier |
| 2nd Runner-Up | California – Jeanne Shores |
| 3rd Runner-Up | Alabama – Gwen Harmon |
| 4th Runner-Up | Chicago – Jo Hoppe |
| Top 10 | Greater Philadelphia – Patricia Mary Hunt  Hawaii – Beverly Kathleen Rivera  Louisiana – Barbara Frances Barker  New York City – Joan Elizabeth Kayne  South Carolina – Mary Kemp Griffin |

### Awards
#### Preliminary awards

| Awards | Contestant |
| Lifestyle and Fitness | Alabama - Gwen Harmon (tie)  California - Jeanne Shores (tie)  Chicago - Jo Hoppe  Georgia - Neva Jane Langley |
| Talent | District of Columbia - Iris Anne Fitch  Georgia - Neva Jane Langley  New York City - Joan Elizabeth Kayne |

#### Other awards

| Awards | Contestant |
| Miss Congeniality | District of Columbia - Iris Anne Fitch (tie)  Oklahoma - Shirley Maurine Barbour (tie) |
| Non-finalist Talent | North Dakota - Margaret Aandahl |

## Contestants

| State | Name | Hometown | Age | Talent | Notes |
| Alabama | Gwen Harmon | Birmingham | 19 | Vocal, "A Heart That's Free" | |
| Arkansas | Bonnie Nicksic | Hot Springs | | Vocal/Dance, "Life Upon the Wicked Stage" from Show Boat | |
| California | Jeanne Shores | Azusa | | Dramatic Monologue | |
| Canada | Marilyn "Thelma" Delores Reddick | Agincourt | | | |
| Chicago | Jo Hoppe | Chicago | | Tap Dance | |
| Colorado | Chardelle Hayward | Fort Collins | | Piano | |
| Connecticut | Joyce Yeske | West Hartford | | Ballroom Dance | |
| Delaware | Helen Blackwell | Wilmington | | Classical Vocal | |
| District of Columbia | Iris Fitch | Washington D.C. | 19 | Vocal, "With a Song in my Heart" | |
| Florida | Marcia Crane | Orlando | | Piano, "Gershwin Prelude" | |
| Georgia | Neva Jane Langley | Macon | 19 | Classical Piano, "Toccata" | |
| Greater Philadelphia | Patricia Hunt | Philadelphia | | Drama | |
| Hawaii | Beverly Kathleen Rivera | Honolulu | | Hula | |
| Idaho | ZoeAnn Warberg | Twin Falls | 18 | Speech, "The Sacred Duty of the American to Vote" | First female judge in Idaho's 5th Judicial District and appeared on the 1985 Miss America telecast. ZoeAnn Warberg Shaub died at 83 on Sept. 13, 2017 as result of a car accident in rural Jackpot, Nevada. |
| Illinois | Glenna Marie Pohly | Rock Falls | | Flute | |
| Indiana | Ann Garnier | Indianapolis | | Classical Vocal, "Il Baciò" by Luigi Arditi | |
| Iowa | Carolyn Hill | Cedar Falls | 19 | Vocal, "You're My Everything" | |
| Kansas | Kay Ann Goforth | McPherson | | Vocal/Dance | |
| Kentucky | Joy Williams | Lexington | | Dance | |
| Louisiana | Barbara Barker | Monroe | | Drama, "The Fog" | |
| Maine | Norma Lee Collins | Caribou | | | |
| Maryland | Shirley Virginia Harrison | Baltimore | | Monologue from Tom Sawyer | |
| Massachusetts | Barbara Graves | Milton | | | |
| Michigan | Karol Dragomir | Benton Harbor | | Vocal, "I'll Walk Alone" | |
| Minnesota | Carole Wick | Duluth | | Vocal | |
| Mississippi | Dora Livingston | Yazoo City | | | |
| Missouri | Florence Spack | Clayton | | Vocal | |
| Montana | Karen Whittet | Livingston | | Piano | |
| Nebraska | Helen Francis Burhorn | Omaha | | Piano, Warsaw Concerto | |
| Nevada | Bonnie Wilson | Reno | | Ballet, "Something to Dance About" | |
| New Hampshire | Barbara Temperly | Goffstown | | | |
| New Jersey | Mary Parker | Gibbsboro | | Drama | |
| New York | Joan St. John | Binghamton | | Vocal | |
| New York City | Joan Kayne | New York City | | Dance | |
| North Carolina | Barbara Harris | Salisbury | | Classical Vocal, "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" | |
| North Dakota | Margaret Aandahl | Litchville | | Piano | |
| Ohio | Carol Koontz | Bolivar | | Fire Baton Twirling & Clarinet | |
| Oklahoma | Shirley Barbour | Tulsa | | Drama | |
| Oregon | Mary Lou Teague | Eugene | | Vocal, "Love is Where You Find it" | |
| Pennsylvania | Miriam Smith | McAlisterville | | Pipe Organ, "Tico Tico" | |
| Puerto Rico | Helga Edmee Monroig | | | | |
| Rhode Island | Jayne Bradshaw | Westerly | | Classical Vocal | |
| South Carolina | Mary Griffin | Florence | | Classical Vocal | 1st Runner-up at Miss USA 1953 representing Myrtle Beach 5th Runner-up at Miss World 1953 representing the United States |
| South Dakota | Sandra Hart | Huron | | Fire Baton Twirling | |
| Tennessee | Gloria Williams | Chattanooga | | Vocal, "Lover, When You're Near Me" | |
| Texas | Connie Hopping | Littlefield | | Vocal | |
| Utah | Marylyn Reese | Brigham | | Monologue, "The Mudlark" & "Our Town" | |
| Vermont | Barbara Moore | St. Johnsbury | | Baton Twirling/Dance | |
| Virginia | Edna Long | Richmond | | Dance | |
| West Virginia | Nancy Rohrbough | Grafton | | Dance | |
| Wisconsin | Jeannie Eleanor Huston | La Crosse | 19 | Cello | |
| Wyoming | Ruth Francis | Casper | | Drama | |