# Miss USA 1956

Miss USA 1956 was the fifth Miss USA pageant, held at Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California on 18 July 1956.
At the end of the event, Carlene King Johnson of Vermont crowned Carol Morris as Miss USA 1956. It is the first victory of Iowa in the pageant's history. Morris later competed at Miss Universe and won.
Contestants from forty-three states and cities competed in the pageant. The competition was hosted by Bob Russell.

## Background
### Selection of participants

Contestants from forty-three states and cities were selected to compete in the pageant. The age requirement in this edition is still from 18 to 28, where women who are married and have children can also participate. This was the final edition where women who are married and have children can participate until the rule was lifted in 2023.

#### Replacements

Nola Flowers, who originally won Miss Utah USA, relinquished her title after she intends to get married before the Miss Universe contest. She was replaced by her first runner-up, Cheryl Brown, as Miss Utah USA.

## Results
### Placements

| Placement | Contestant |
| Miss USA 1956 | Iowa – Carol Morris |
| 1st runner-up | South Carolina – Betty Cherry |
| 2nd runner-up | Arkansas – Nancy McCollum |
| 3rd runner-up | Nebraska – Shari Lewis |
| 4th runner-up | Texas – Jo Dobson |
| Top 15 | Colorado – Karen Keeler Maryland – Charlene Holt Michigan – Barbara Sias New Jersey – Dolores Winfield North Carolina – Shirley Bagwell Ohio – Eleanor Wood Oregon – Maralyn Turner Tennessee – Stella Wilson Utah – Cheryl Brown Washington – June Svedin |

## Contestants

Forty-three contestants competed for the title.
| State/City | Contestant | Age | Hometown | Notes |
| Arizona | Maija Bertulson | 18 | Tucson | |
| Arkansas | Nancy McCollum | 19 | Stuttgart | |
| California | Shirlee Witty | 20 | Wilmington | |
| Colorado | Karen Keeler | 21 | Denver | |
| Connecticut | Dorothy Bailey | 19 | Bridgeport | |
| Delaware | Sandra McCabe | 18 | Selbyville | |
| District of Columbia | Joanne Holler | 21 | Washington | |
| Florida | Kim Meyer | 26 | Oceanway | |
| Georgia | Mary Ruff | 19 | Gainesville | |
| Illinois | Muriel Blair | 23 | Chicago | |
| Indiana | Beverly Mattox | 19 | Milroy | |
| Iowa | Carol Ann Laverne Morris | 19 | Ottumwa | Previously Miss Iowa 1954 Late won Miss Universe 1956 |
| Louisiana | Cecile Morris | 19 | Greenwell Springs | |
| Maryland | Charlene Holt | 28 | Annapolis | |
| Massachusetts | Elaine Murphy | 21 | Weston | |
| Miami Beach, Florida | Beverly Rogers | 20 | Miami | |
| Michigan | Barbara Sias | 19 | Detroit | |
| Minnesota | Marilyn Johnson | 18 | Minneapolis | |
| Missouri | Carol Rhea Thrower | 18 | Kemmett | |
| Nebraska | Shari Lewis | 19 | Lincoln | |
| Nevada | Marley Sanderson | 21 | Las Vegas | |
| New Hampshire | Rita Leclerc | 21 | Berlin | |
| New Jersey | Delores Winfield | 21 | Cranford | |
| New Mexico | Jackie Brown | 21 | Albuquerque | |
| New York | Kay Douglas | 18 | New York City | |
| North Carolina | Shirley Bagwell | 18 | Raleigh | |
| North Dakota | Mary Harroun | 19 | Bismarck | |
| Ohio | Eleanor Wood | 18 | Canton | |
| Oregon | Maralyn Turner | 19 | Portland | |
| Pennsylvania | Serena Kifer | 20 | Monaca | |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Miriam Uniman | 18 | Philadelphia | |
| Rhode Island | Sandra Vozella | 18 | Point Judith | |
| South Carolina | Betty Lane Cherry | 20 | Orangeburg | Later Miss World United States 1956 1st runner-up at Miss World 1956 |
| St. Louis, Missouri | Diana Stopke | 18 | St. Louis | |
| Tennessee | Stella Wilson | 19 | Covington | |
| Texas | Jo Dodson | 18 | Houston | |
| Utah | Cheryl Brown | 18 | Spanish Fork | Replaced Nola Flowers as Miss Utah USA |
| Vermont | Delores Wettack | 21 | Westminster | |
| Virginia | Audra Stark | 21 | Virginia Beach | |
| Washington | June Svedin | 20 | Seattle | |
| West Virginia | Janet Cardi | 24 | Belle | |
| Wisconsin | Priscilla Perkins | 20 | Milwaukee | |
| Wyoming | Marilyn Scott | 19 | Cheyenne | |