# Miss Mississippi

Miss Mississippi is a scholarship pageant and a preliminary of Miss America. The contest began in 1934, has been held in Vicksburg since 1958, and provides more money than any other scholarship pageant in the Miss America Organization.
Four Miss Mississippis have won the Miss America crown: Mary Ann Mobley (1959), Lynda Lee Mead (1960), Cheryl Prewitt (1980), and Susan Akin (1986).
The current titleholder is Becky Williams of Purvis, who was crowned Miss Mississippi 2024 on June 8, 2024 at the Vicksburg Convention Center in Vicksburg, Mississippi. She competed for the title of Miss America 2025.

## Gallery of past titleholders

* Carolyn Cochran, Miss Mississippi 1955
* Mary Ann Mobley, Miss Mississippi 1958 and Miss America 1959
* Lynda Lee Mead, Miss Mississippi 1959 and Miss America 1960
* Miss Mississippi 1960, Patricia McRaney, crowning Miss Mississippi 1961, Annice Jernigan
* Charlotte Ann Carroll, Miss Mississippi 1962
* Jan Nave, Miss Mississippi 1963
* Patricia Puckett, Miss Mississippi 1965
* Robbie Robertson, Miss Mississippi 1966
* Susan Akin, Miss Mississippi 1985 and Miss America 1986
* Toni Seawright, Miss Mississippi 1987
* Kimberly Morgan, Miss Mississippi 2007
* Chelsea Rick, Miss Mississippi 2013
* Jasmine Murray, Miss Mississippi 2014

## Results summary

The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Mississippi titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.

### Placements

* Miss Americas: Mary Ann Mobley (1959), Lynda Lee Mead (1960), Cheryl Prewitt (1980), Susan Akin (1986)
* 1st runners-up: Katherine Wright (1949), Patricia Puckett (1966), Joan Myers (1968), Hannah Roberts (2016)
* 2nd runners-up: Donna Pope (1981) (tie), Dianne Evans (1983), Kathy Manning (1985), Myra Barginear (1998)
* 3rd runners-up: Christine McClamroch (1971), Wanda Geddie (1984), Christy May (2001), Taryn Foshee (2007)
* 4th runners-up: Suzanne Dugger (1954), Toni Seawright (1988), Mary Allison Hurdle (1992), Laura Lee Lewis (2017)
* Top 10: Charlotte Ann Carroll (1963), Karen Hopson (1982), Kimberly McGuffee (1987), Carla Haag (1989), Rebecca Blouin (1995), Monica Louwerens (1996), Kari Litton (1997), Jennifer Adcock (2003), Jasmine Murray (2015)
* Top 15: Laurice McFarland (1925), Jessie Morgan (1952), Chelsea Rick (2014)
* Top 16: Kimberly Morgan (2008)
* Top 18: Dorothy Ely (1933)
* Top 20: Becky Pruett (2002)

### Awards
#### Preliminary awards

* Preliminary Lifestyle and Fitness: Patricia Puckett (1966), Cheri Brown (1979) (tie), Cheryl Prewitt (1980), Donna Pope (1981), Karen Hopson (1982), Wanda Geddie (1984), Kathy Manning (1985), Susan Akin (1986), Carla Haag (1989), Beth Howell (1991), Christy May (2001), Jennifer Adcock (2003), Christine Kozlowski (2009), Chelsea Rick (2014), Vivian O'Neal (2024)
* Preliminary Talent: Mary Ann Mobley (1959), Charlotte Ann Carroll (1963), Dianne Evans (1983), Lenena Holder (1994), Becky Pruett (2002)

#### Non-finalist awards

* Non-finalist Talent: Lennie Nobles (1946), Patricia McRaney (1961), Robbie Robertson (1967), Lenena Holder (1994), Heather Soriano (2000), Sarah Beth James (2011), Marie Wicks (2013)

#### Other awards

* Miss Congeniality: Doris Coggins (1939), Dorothy Fox (1942)
* Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship: Myra Barginear (1998)
* Jean Bartel Social Impact Initiative Winner: Emmie Perkins (2023)
* Jean Bartel Social Impact Initiative Finalist: Holly Brand (2022)
* Louanne Gamba Instrumental Award: Hannah Roberts (2016)
* Quality of Life Award 2nd runners-up: Becky Pruett (2002), Asya Branch (2019)
* Quality of Life Award Finalists: Jasmine Murray (2015), Hannah Roberts (2016), Laura Lee Lewis (2017), Anne Elizabeth Buys (2018)
* Rembrandt Mentor Award: Monica Louwerens (1996)
* STEM Scholarship Award Winners: Chelsea Rick (2014), Hannah Roberts (2016)

## Winners

* Declared as winner
* Ended as a runner-up 0
* Ended as a finalist or semi-finalist
| Year | Name | Hometown | Age | Local Title | Miss America Talent | Placement at Miss America | Special scholarships at Miss America | Notes |
| 2024 | Becky Williams | Purvis | 22 | Miss Capital City | Dance | | |
| 2023 | Vivian O'Neal | Hattiesburg | 25 | Miss Pine Belt | Dance | | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | |
| 2022 | Emmie Perkins | Hattiesburg | 21 | Miss Mississippi State University | Vocal | | Jean Bartel Social Impact Initiative Scholarship | |
| 2021 | Holly Brand | Meridian | 21 | Miss Golden Triangle | Vocal | | Jean Bartel Social Impact Initiative Finalist Non-Finalist Talent Award | Previously Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen 2017 Semi-finalist on Season 23 of The Voice |
| 2019–20 | Mary Margaret Hyer | Hattiesburg | 23 | Miss Riverbend | Classical Vocal, "Queen of the Night aria" from The Magic Flute | | | |
| 2018 | Asya Branch | Booneville | 20 | Miss Tupelo | Vocal, "The Impossible Dream" from Man of La Mancha | | Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up | Later Miss Mississippi USA 2020 Later Miss USA 2020 Top 21 at Miss Universe 2020 pageant |
| 2017 | Anne Elizabeth Buys | Vicksburg | 21 | Miss Vicksburg | Ballet en pointe, "Viva" by Bond | | Quality of Life Award Finalist | Previously Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen 2013 Cousin is married to Miss Mississippi 2009, Anna Tadlock Later 4th runner-up at Miss Mississippi USA 2021 |
| 2016 | Laura Lee Lewis | Brookhaven | 23 | Miss Dixie | Vocal, "A Piece of Sky" from Yentl | 4th runner-up | Quality of Life Award Finalist | Previously Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen 2009 3rd runner-up at National Sweetheart 2014 pageant Duke of Edinburgh's Award gold medalist |
| 2015 | Hannah Roberts | Mount Olive | 22 | Miss University of Southern Mississippi | Classical Violin, "Zapateado, No. 2, Opus 23" | 1st runner-up | Louanne Gamba Instrumentalist Scholarship Quality of Life Award Finalist STEM Scholarship Award | Previously Distinguished Young Woman of Mississippi 2011 2nd runner-up at Distinguished Young Woman of America 2011 competition |
| 2014 | Jasmine Murray | Columbus | 22 | Miss Riverland | Vocal, "Something's Got a Hold on Me" | Top 10 | Quality of Life Award Finalist | Previously Miss Mississippi's Outstanding Teen 2007 Top 10 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2008 pageant American Idol Season 8 Finalist 3rd African American to be crowned Miss Mississippi |
| 2013 | Chelsea Rick | Fulton | 23 | Miss Amory Railroad Festival | Vocal, "Can't Help Lovin' That Man" | Top 15 | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award STEM Scholarship Award | |
| 2012 | Marie Wicks | Ocean Springs | 22 | Miss Dixie | Piano, "Moonlight Sonata 3rd Movement" | | Non-finalist Talent Award | |
| 2011 | Mary Margaret Roark | Cleveland | 20 | Miss North Central Mississippi | Piano, "Nostradamus" by Tonci Huljic | | | |
| 2010 | Sarah Beth James | Madison | 20 | Miss Metro Jackson | Piano, "Piano Fantasy" by William Joseph | | Non-finalist Talent Award | |
| 2009 | Anna Tadlock | McCool | 23 | Miss New South | Vocal, "A New Life" from Jekyll & Hyde | | | Married cousin of Miss Mississippi 2017, Anne Elizabeth Buys |
| 2008 | Christine Kozlowski | D'Iberville | 19 | Miss Gulf Coast | Jazz Dance | | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | First Latina to be crowned Miss Mississippi |
| 2007 | Kimberly Morgan | Oxford | 24 | Miss Heritage | Vocal, "God Bless the Child" | Top 16 | | Second African American to be crowned Miss Mississippi |
| 2006 | Taryn Foshee | Clinton | 21 | Miss Byram Tri County | Piano, "El Cumbanchero" by Rafael Hernández Marín | 3rd runner-up | | |
| 2005 | Kristian Dambrino | Grenada | 20 | Miss Grenada County | Original Vocal & Piano Composition, "Pearlington's Prayer" | | | |
| 2004 | Jalin Wood | Waynesboro | 23 | Miss Metro Jackson | Piano, "Cumana" | | | Later Miss Mississippi USA 2007 |
| 2003 | Allison Kellogg | Madison | 22 | Miss Madison County | Ballet en Pointe, "The Firebird" | | Quality of Life finalist | Previously Mississippi's Junior Miss 1999 Top 8 |
| 2002 | Jennifer Adcock | Hattiesburg | 22 | Miss West Central Mississippi | Piano, Rhapsody in Blue | Top 10 | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | Previously Mississippi's Junior Miss 1998 Later Miss Mississippi USA 2005 Top 10 at Miss USA 2005 pageant |
| 2001 | Becky Pruett | Laurel | 22 | Miss Deep South | Vocal, "Whatever Lola Wants" | Top 20 | Preliminary Talent Award Quality of Life Award 2nd runner-up | |
| 2000 | Christy May | Pontotoc | 24 | Miss Pontotoc | Piano, "Theme from The Apartment" | 3rd runner-up | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | |
| 1999 | Heather Soriano | Philadelphia | 22 | Miss East Central Mississippi | Vocal / Dance, "Trouble" from Smokey Joe's Cafe | | Non-finalist Talent Award | Later Miss Mississippi USA 2002 |
| 1998 | Melinda King | Waynesboro | 22 | Miss Hattiesburg | Vocal, "I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)" | | | |
| 1997 | Myra Barginear | Grenada | 23 | Miss West Central | Classical Vocal. "Una Voce Poco Fa"' from The Barber of Seville | 2nd runner-up | Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship | |
| 1996 | Kari Litton | Pontotoc | 23 | Miss New South | Vocal, "Cry" | Top 10 | | |
| 1995 | Monica Louwerens | Greenville | 21 | Miss Magnolia | Vocal, "Vanilla Ice Cream" from She Loves Me | Top 10 | Rembrandt Award for Mentorship | |
| 1994 | Rebecca Blouin | Batesville | 23 | Miss Dixieland | Classical Vocal, "Quando me'n vò" | Top 10 | | |
| 1993 | Lenena Holder | Booneville | 24 | Miss Magnolia | Classical Vocal, "Un Bel Di" from Madama Butterfly | | Non-finalist Talent Award Preliminary Talent Award | |
| 1992 | Kandace Williams | Tupelo | 23 | Miss Tupelo | Vocal, "Ain't It Good" from Children of Eden | | | |
| 1991 | Mary Allison Hurdle | Holly Springs | 24 | Miss DeSoto County | Classical Vocal, "Chi Il Bel Sogno di Doretta" from La rondine | 4th runner-up | | |
| 1990 | Beth Howell | Clinton | 21 | Miss Dixie | Magic Act | | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | Previously Mississippi's Junior Miss 1987 |
| 1989 | Cherry Busby | Tupelo | 19 | Miss Tupelo | Vocal, "My Funny Valentine" | | | |
| 1988 | Carla Haag | Hattiesburg | 23 | Miss Dixie | Vocal Medley, "Here's to the Band" & "Alexander's Ragtime Band" | Top 10 | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | Previously Mississippi's Junior Miss 1983 |
| 1987 | Toni Seawright | Moss Point | 23 | Miss Mississippi University for Women | Popular Vocal, "I'm Going All the Way" | 4th runner-up | | First African American to be crowned Miss Mississippi |
| 1986 | Kimberly McGuffee | Mendenhall | 23 | Miss Lamar County | Popular Vocal, "Inseparable" | Top 10 | | |
| 1985 | Nan Sumrall | Hattiesburg | | Miss Hattiesburg | | Did not compete; later assumed the title after Akin won Miss America 1986 | Did not compete; later assumed the title after Akin won Miss America 1986 | Did not compete; later assumed the title after Akin won Miss America 1986 |
| 1985 | Nan Sumrall | Hattiesburg | | Miss Hattiesburg | | | | Later known as Nan Kelley, host on Great American Country TV |
| 1985 | Susan Akin | Meridian | 21 | Miss University | Vocal, "You're My World" | Winner | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | |
| 1984 | Kathy Manning | Drew | 22 | Miss University of Mississippi | Country Vocal, "Crazy" | 2nd runner-up | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | Later Miss Mississippi USA 1987 Top 10 at Miss USA 1987 pageant Katharine Clare Manning Loeb died at 59 on December 23, 2021, of COVID-19 related illness in Tennessee. |
| 1983 | Wanda Geddie | Hattiesburg | 24 | Miss William Carey College | Vocal, "More Than You Know" | 3rd runner-up | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | |
| 1982 | Dianne Evans | Taylorsville | 22 | Miss William Carey College | Vocal, "Stormy Weather" | 2nd runner-up | Preliminary Talent Award | |
| 1981 | Karen Hopson | Vicksburg | 21 | Miss Vicksburg | Character Ballet en Pointe, "Overture" from Annie | Top 10 | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | |
| 1980 | Donna Pope | McNeil | 24 | Miss Picayune | Ballet, "Overture" from Oklahoma! | 2nd runner-up (tie) | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | |
| 1979 | Sherye Simmons | Jackson | | | | Did not compete; later assumed the title after Prewitt won Miss America 1980 | Did not compete; later assumed the title after Prewitt won Miss America 1980 | Did not compete; later assumed the title after Prewitt won Miss America 1980 |
| 1979 | Cheryl Prewitt | Ackerman | 22 | Miss Starkville | Vocal / Piano, "Don't Cry Out Loud" | Winner | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | |
| 1978 | Cheri Brown | Meridian | 21 | Miss Oxford | Popular Vocal, "Evergreen" | | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award (tie) | Later Miss Mississippi USA 1980 |
| 1977 | Mary Donnelly | Oxford | 19 | Miss University | Vocal, "The Good Songs" | | | Wife of former Miss America Chairman of the Board, Sam Haskell |
| 1976 | Bobbye Wood | Hattiesburg | 19 | Miss William Carey College | Vocal, "Starting Here, Starting Now" | | | |
| 1975 | Mollie Magee | Mendenhall | 19 | Miss University of Southern Mississippi | Popular Vocal, "Lights on the Hill" | | | Contestant at Miss Teenage America 1972 pageant |
| 1974 | Diane Bounds | Gulfport | 21 | Miss Mississippi State University | Popular Vocal, "When You Smile" | | | |
| 1973 | Kathleen Coole | Gulfport | 19 | Miss Mississippi State College for Women | Vocal Medley, "Everything's Alright" & "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar | | | |
| 1972 | Glenda Meadows | Richton | 23 | Miss Richton | Vocal Medley, "Am I Blue?" & "I'd Rather Be Blue" | | | |
| 1971 | Jennifer Blair | Tupelo | 21 | Miss Mississippi State University | Popular Vocal, "I Wish You Love" | | | |
| 1970 | Christine McClamroch | Columbus | 21 | Miss Columbus | Vocal Medley, "Cabaret," "Try to Remember," & "You'll Never Walk Alone" | 3rd runner-up | | |
| 1969 | Jane Foshee | Hattiesburg | 19 | Miss Hattiesburg | Vocal / Soft Shoe Dance, "Makin' Whoopee" | | | Previously Mississippi's Junior Miss 1967 |
| 1968 | Mary Mills | McComb | 19 | Miss University of Southern Mississippi | Piano Comedy Presentation, "Habanera" & "La Poupée Valsante" by Fritz Kreisler | | | |
| 1967 | Joan Myers | Forest | 20 | Miss Mississippi College | Speech & Display of Original Art, "Doctor Zhivago" | 1st runner-up | | |
| 1966 | Robbie Robertson | Hattiesburg | 20 | Miss University of Southern Mississippi | Dramatic Reading, "Adam Bede" by George Eliot | | Non-finalist Talent Award | |
| 1965 | Patricia Puckett | Columbus | 20 | Miss Columbus | Vocal, "I Ain't Down Yet" from The Unsinkable Molly Brown | 1st runner-up | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award | Featured performer on the Miss America 1967 telecast |
| 1964 | Judy Simono | Vicksburg | 20 | Miss Vicksburg | Classical Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty by Tchaikovsky | | | |
| 1963 | Jan Nave | McComb | | Miss Mississippi State College for Women | Contemporary Dance | | | |
| 1962 | Charlotte Ann Carroll | Walthall | 19 | Miss Eupora | Comedy Song & Dance Routine, "Olive Oyl" | Top 10 | Preliminary Talent Award | |
| 1961 | Annice Jernigan | New Albany | 21 | Miss University of Mississippi | Piano Medley | | | |
| 1960 | Patricia McRaney | McComb | 20 | Miss McComb | Speech & Art Presentation | | Non-finalist Talent Award | |
| 1959 | Betty Porter | Brookhaven | | | | Did not compete; later assumed the title after Mead won Miss America 1960 | Did not compete; later assumed the title after Mead won Miss America 1960 | Did not compete; later assumed the title after Mead won Miss America 1960 |
| 1959 | Lynda Lee Mead | Natchez | 20 | Miss University | Original Dramatic Act, "Schizophrenia" | Winner | | |
| 1958 | Margie Wilson | Itta Bena | | | | Did not compete; later assumed the title after Mobley won Miss America 1959 | Did not compete; later assumed the title after Mobley won Miss America 1959 | Did not compete; later assumed the title after Mobley won Miss America 1959 |
| 1958 | Mary Ann Mobley | Brandon | 21 | | Vocal Medley & Dance, "Un Bel Di" & "There'll Be Some Changes Made" | Winner | Preliminary Talent Award | |
| 1957 | Mary Allen | Yazoo City | | | Dance & Art Presentation | | | |
| 1956 | Martha Tisdale | Hattiesburg | | | Drama | | | |
| 1955 | Carolyn Cochran | Lucedale | | | Dramatic Monologue | | | |
| 1954 | Celeste Luckett | Clarksdale | | | Drama | | | |
| 1953 | Suzanne Dugger | Picayune | | | Vocal Medley & Dance, "Bill" & "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey" | 4th runner-up | | |
| 1952 | Dora Livingston | Yazoo City | | | | | | |
| 1951 | Jessie Morgan | Newton | | | Ballet | Top 15 | | |
| 1950 | Annie Roberts | Hattiesburg | | | | | | |
| 1949 | Katherine Wright | Pascagoula | | | Dramatic Sketch, "Hagar" | 1st runner-up | | |
| 1948 | Virginia Hollingsworth | Kosciusko | | | | | | |
| 1947 | Kitty Bailey | Oxford | | | Painting | | | |
| 1946 | Lennie Nobles | Greenwood | | | Dance | | Non-finalist Talent Award & Best Dancer Award | Later known as Josephine Nobles Giacketti, she died at 92 in Albertson, N.Y. on March 2, 2019. |
| 1945 | Harriet Carr | Marks | | | Stand-up Comedy | | | |
| 1944 | Sarah Topp | Tupelo | | | | | | |
| 1943 | Arminta Scott | Corinth | | | | | | |
| 1942 | Dorothy Fox | Columbus | | | | | Miss Congeniality | |
| 1941 | Madeline Smith | Winona | | | | | | |
| 1940 | Carolyn Simon | Greenville | | | | | | |
| 1939 | Doris Coggins | Baldwyn | | | | | Miss Congeniality | |
| 1938 | Frances Sykes | Aberdeen | | | | | | |
| 1937 | Virginia Riley | West Point | | | | | | |
| 1936 | Rachel Smith | Booneville | | | | | | |
| 1935 | LeFrance Boyett | Sumner | | | | | | |
| 1934 | Madolyn Hardy | Belzoni | | | | No national pageant was held | No national pageant was held | |
| 1933 | Dorothy Ely | | 24 | | | Top 18 | | |
| 1932 | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held |
| 1931 | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held |
| 1930 | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held |
| 1929 | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held |
| 1928 | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held | No national pageants were held |
| 1927 | Phyllis Hunt | | | Miss Biloxi | | | | Competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| 1926 | Mabel Riley | | | Miss Biloxi | | | | Competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| 1925 | Laurice McFarland | | | Miss Biloxi | | Top 15 | | Competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| 1924 | Vivian Ruth Shaddinger | | | Miss Biloxi | | | | Multiple Mississippi representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| 1924 | Mabel Batson | | | Miss Jackson | | | | Multiple Mississippi representatives Contestants competed under local title at Miss America pageant |
| 1923 | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant |
| 1922 | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant |
| 1921 | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant | No Mississippi representative at Miss America pageant |