What is the Beauty Pageant Collection?
Scope and Content
The Beauty Pageant Collection includes souvenir pageant programs, photo albums, scrapbooks of newspaper articles, and slide photography for Miss America and various other beauty pageants dating from 1940 through 2014.
Three panoramic photographs of bathing beauty contestants dating from the 1920's, as well as scrapbooks of pageants from that time period, can also be found in the Beauty Pageant Collection. To see a detailed inventory of the collection, consult the finding aid.
Series Description
- Souvenir Pageant Programs
- Representing the years 1949-2010
- Souvenir programs include pictures of contestants along with congratulations and ads from the contestants local sponsors. The program lists all committees, officials, and sponsors associated with the pageant.
- Photo Albums
- Representing the years 1970-1980
- These photo albums contain what appear to be photographs taken of each of the top ten Miss America contestants for each year represented. There are a number of group photos as well as photos of the contestants out and about in Atlantic City.
- Scrapbooks
- Representing the years 1923-1927 and 1960-1980
- These scrapbooks include newspaper articles and photographs of Miss America Pageant contestants in their home state, their arrival at the pageant, what the special interest categories are, past winners and where they are now, and the winners of the individual categories. There are also photos that chronicle the pageant's activities; including parades, the boardwalk parade, and the pageant competition itself.
- Slides
- Slides represent the years 1957-1980
- Slides are primarily photos of contestants during the pageant.
- Posters
- Photographs are long format showing all contestants from the years 1925-1927
- Group of contestants are labeled as "Inter-City Beauties"
- Miscellaneous Print Materials
- Oversize Print Materials
- Realia
- This part of the collection is primarily trophies and other awards to contestants