The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA.
The first Eurasian woman to win Miss USA was Mai Shanley in 1984, and the first African-American to win was Carole Gist in 1990.
Brandi Sherwood is the only woman to have held both the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA titles. She was Miss Idaho Teen USA, Miss Teen USA 1989, Miss Idaho USA 1997, first runner-up at Miss USA 1997 and in May 1997 assumed the Miss USA title after Brook Lee won the Miss Universe pageant.[11] Eight other Miss USA titleholders have also previously competed at Miss Teen USA. These include:
- Shanna Moakler (1995), (Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 1992)
- Ali Landry (1996), (Miss Louisiana Teen USA 1990)
- Kimberly Pressler (1999) (Miss New York Teen USA 1994)
- Lynnette Cole (2000) (Miss Tennessee Teen USA 1995)
- Susie Castillo (2003) (Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 1998)
- Chelsea Cooley (2005) (Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2000)
- Tara Conner (2006) (Miss Kentucky Teen USA 2002)
- Rachel Smith (2007) (Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2002)
Five Miss USA titleholders have also competed at Miss America. These included Miss USAs 1954-1956 (Miriam Stevenson, Carlene King Johnson, Carol Morris), Mai Shanley (1984) and Shandi Finnessey (2004). All were unplaced Miss America, although Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004 and Miss Missouri 2002 won a preliminary evening gown award at Miss America 2003.
Many Miss USA winners have gone to careers in the entertainment industry. Those who have been successful in the industry include Summer Bartholomew, Laura Martinez Herring, Shanna Moakler, Ali Landry, Brandi Sherwood, Susie Castillo and Shandi Finnessey.
List of titleholders
- 2008 Crystle Stewart
- 2007 Rachel Smith
- 2006 Tara Conner
- 2005 Chelsea Cooley
- 2004 Shandi Finnessey
- 2003 Susie Castillo
- 2002 Shauntay Hinton
- 2001 Kandace Krueger
- 2000 Lynnette Cole
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