Miss Arkansas

For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss Arkansas USA.

Amber Bennett, Miss Arkansas 2006

Eudora Moseby, Miss Arkansas 2005

The Miss Arkansas competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Arkansas in the Miss America pageant. Arkansas has twice won the Miss America title.

Results summary

The year in brackets indicates the year of the Miss America competition the award/placement was garnered.

Placements

• Miss Americas: Donna Axum (1964), Elizabeth Ward (1982)
• 1st runners-up: Rebecca McCall (1946), Frances Anderson (1962), Karen Carlson (1965), Alyse Eady (2011)
• 2nd runners-up: Paula Montgomery (1996)
• 3rd runners-up: Mary Jennings (1951), Charlotte Simmen (1952), Lacy Fleming (2005)
• 4th runners-up: Lencola Sullivan (1981)
• Finalists: Eudora Mosby (2006)
• Semi-Finalists: Dorris Love (1943), Barbara Brothers (1949), Barbara Banks (1957), Sally Miller (1959), Donna Connelly (1971), Mary Stuart (1983), Julie Russell (1987), Nicole Bethmann (1994), Erin Wheatley (1999), Brandy Rhodes (2000), Jessie Ward (2002), Katie Bailey (2008), Ashlen Batson (2009), Sarah Slocum (2010)

Awards

Preliminary Awards

• Preliminary Swimsuit: Rebecca McCall (1946), Mary Jennings (1951), Charlotte Simmen (1952), Frances Anderson (1962), Donna Axum (1964), Sharon Evans (1968), Paula Roach (1976), Bunnie Holbert (1978), Lencola Sullivan (1981), Elizabeth Ward (1982), Lauren Davidson (2003)
• Preliminary Talent: Barbara Banks (1957)

Non-Finalist Awards

• Non-Finalist Talent: Marilyn Morgan (1972), Joyce McCormack (1977), Bunnie Holbert (1978), Regina Hopper (1984), Lisa Stevens (1985), Patti Thorn (1989), Beth Anne Rankin (1995)
• Non-Finalist Interview: Whitney Kirk (2004)

Other

• Miss Congeniality: Sharon Evans (1968), Rhonda Pope (1975)
• Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship: Christi Taunton (1986)

Winners

Year	Name	Hometown	Age	Local Title	Miss America Talent	Placement at Miss America	Special scholarships at Miss America	Notes
2011	Kristen Glover	Stuttgart	22	Miss Ouachita Baptist University	Tap Dance
2010	Alyse Eady	Fort Smith	22	Miss South Central Arkansas	Ventriloquism / Vocal "I Want to be a Cowboy's Sweetheart"	1st runner-up		Previously Miss Teen Arkansas-America 2004 (now known as Miss Arkansas' Outstanding Teen)
2009	Sarah Slocum	Sheridan	23	Miss Ouachita River	Vocal "The Prayer"	Top 15 Semi-finalist		Was voted into the Top 15 as a "People's Choice" winner, voted on by the public
2008	Ashlen Batson	Newark	21	Miss Spirit of Arkansas	Flute Solo "Carmen Medley"	Top 12 Semi-finalist
2007	Katie Bailey	Conway	25	Miss South Arkansas	Vocal "Feeling Good"	Top 16 Semi-finalist
2006	Amber Bennett	Carlisle	23	Miss Central Arkansas	Vocal "Come Rain or Come Shine"		Won Miss America "Pageant School" competition
2005	Eudora Mosby	Hazen	23	Miss Central Arkansas	Vocal "Dream In Color"	Top 10
2004	Lacy Fleming	Hampton	22	Miss Ouachita Baptist University	Vocal "Last Dance"	3rd runner-up		Former Arkansas Junior Miss 2000
2003	Whitney Kirk	Cabot	22	Miss Three Rivers	Vocal / Dance "All That Jazz"		Non-finalist Interview Award	Contestant at National Sweetheart 2000
2002	Lauren Davidson	El Dorado	20	Miss White River	Vocal "It's Time"		Preliminary Swimsuit Award
2001	Jessie Ward	Prescott	21	Miss Texarkana	Tap Dance "Michael Jackson Medley"	Semi-finalist		Current Executive Director of the Miss Arkansas pageant under her married name, Jessie Bennett[1]
2000	Sara Harris	Forrest City	20	Miss Delta	Vocal "Unchained Melody"
1999	Brandy Rhodes	Hot Springs	22	Miss Lake Dardanelle	Original Tap Dance "American Rhapsody"	Semi-finalist
1998	Erin Wheatley	Little Rock	22	Miss White River	Vocal / Tap Dance "I Got Rhythm"	Semi-finalist
1997	Stacy Freeman	Sheridan	22	Miss White River	Tap Dance "Sing, Sing, Sing"			Previously Miss Arkansas Teen USA 1992
1996	Melonie McGarrah	Rogers	22	Miss White River	Vocal "I Will Always Love You"
1995	Paula Montgomery	Cabot	22	Miss Greater Little Rock	Vocal "Can't Help Loving That Man"	2nd runner-up		Previously Miss Arkansas Teen USA 1991
1994	Beth Anne Rankin	Magnolia	23	Miss Diamond Lakes	Piano		Non-Finalist Talent Award
1993	Nicole Bethmann	Rogers	24	Miss Diamond Lakes	Vocal "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"	Semi-finalist
1992	Shannon Boy	Alma	21	Miss Diamond Lakes	Flute Solo "Theme from Star Wars"
1991	Heather Hunnicutt	Fayetteville	22	Miss Northwest Arkansas	Vocal "Born To Be Blue"
1990	Karissa Rushing	Benton	24	Miss White River	Vocal "With a Song In My Heart"
1989	Marci Lewallen	Dardanelle	22	Miss Arkansas Valley	Vocal / Banjo "Boogie Woogie Banjo Blues"
1988	Patti Thorn	Hot Springs	23	Miss Diamond Lakes	Vocal "Love Is Where You Find It"		Non-Finalist Talent Award
1987	Carole Lawson	Paragould	21	Miss University of Arkansas	Flute / Piccolo solo "Carmen Medley"			Former National Sweetheart Pageant winner 1986
1986	Julie Russell	Fort Smith	22	Miss Russellville	Classical Piano Medley with Vocal Narration	Semi-finalist
1985	Christi Taunton	Camden	20	Miss Camden	Popular Vocal "Remembering"		recipient of Dr. David B. Allman Medical Scholarship
1984	Lisa Stevens	Arkadelphia	22	Miss Ouachita Baptist University	Flute Solo "Carmen Medley"		Non-finalist Talent Award
1983	Regina Hopper	Springdale	24	Miss Springdale	Popular Vocal "You're Gonna Hear From Me"		Non-finalist Talent Award	Elected to the Miss America Board of Directors
1982	Mary Stuart	Little Rock	20	Miss White River	Vocal / Broadway Jazz Dance "The Birth of the Blues"	Semi-finalist		actress who played "Frannie Hughes" on "As the World Turns" from 1990-1993
1981	Micki Petrus
	Elizabeth Ward	Russellville	20	Miss White River	Vocal "After You've Gone"	Winner	Preliminary Swimsuit Award	now known as actress "Elizabeth Gracen," former National Sweetheart Pageant winner 1980
1980	Lencola Sullivan	Morrilton	22	Miss White River	Blues Vocal "St. Louis Blues"	4th runner-up	Preliminary Swimsuit Award	*first African-American contestant to place as a runner-up at Miss America; Toured with Miss America USO Troupe
1979	Janet Holman	North Little Rock	22	Miss University of Arkansas	Vocal "Somewhere"
1978	Naylene Vuurens	Searcy	20	Miss Diamond Lakes	Piano Solo "Etude in G Minor"
1977	Bunnie Holbert	Stuttgart	20	Miss White River	Vocal "Feelings"		Preliminary Swimsuit Award, Non-Finalist Talent Award
1976	Joyce McCormack	Little Rock	21	Miss White River	Ballet en Pointe "Polonaise"		Non-Finalist Talent Award	Toured with Miss America USO Troupe
1975	Paula Roach	Jonesboro	20	Miss Jonesboro	Piano "Theme from Summer of '42"		Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1974	Rhonda Pope	Hot Springs	21	Miss Hot Springs	Vocal Medley "Friends" & "With a Little Help from My Friends"		Miss Congeniality (tie)	participated in Miss America USO Troupe
1973	Becky Hume	Jonesboro	23	Miss Osceola	Free Floor Exercise & Balance Beam Routine
1972	Debbye Hazelwood	Magnolia	20	Miss Southern State College	Piano "Warsaw Concerto"
1971	Marilyn Morgan	Clarksville	20	Miss Clarksville	Popular Vocal "Something"		Non-Finalist Talent Award	Featured singer in the 1972 Miss America production
1970	Donna Connelly	Hope	19	Miss State College of Arkansas	Vocal Medley "Who Will Buy" from Oliver! & "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing"	Semi-finalist		participated in Miss America USO Troupe
1969	Marilyn Allen	North Little Rock	20	Miss North Little Rock	Acrobatic Ballet "Theme from Exodus"
1968	Helen Gennings	Batesville	20	Miss Ouachita Baptist University	Popular Vocal "What the World Needs Now" & "Love Makes the World Go Round"			Toured with Miss America USO Troupe
1967	Sharon Evans	North Little Rock	20	Miss Ouachita Baptist University	Vocal / Dance "Mame"		Preliminary Swimsuit Award, Miss Congeniality (tie)
1966	Mary Craig	Batesville	18	Miss Batesville	Vocal / Dancing
1965	Nita VanHook
	Rhonda Oglesby	Pine Bluff	19	Miss University of Arkansas	Popular Singing			resigned after briefly holding the title[2]; listed as Miss Arkansas in the Miss America program from 1965
1964	Karen Carlson	Fayetteville	20	Miss University of Arkansas	Vocal "As Long As He Needs Me"	1st runner-up		actress, ex-wife of David Soul; contestant in the 1964 Maid of Cotton Pageant
1963	Pam Jackson
	Donna Axum	El Dorado	21	Miss El Dorado	Vocal Medley "Quando me'n vo'" & "I Love Paris"	Winner	Preliminary Swimsuit Award	Currently serving on the Miss America Board of Directors; competed in the 1960 Miss Dixie Pageant as "Miss Hospitality of Arkansas"
1962	Edye Addington	Texarkana	19	Miss Arkansas State Teachers' College	Vocal Medley "When I Fall In Love" & "This Can't Be Love"
1961	Frances Anderson	Pine Bluff	19	Miss Pine Bluff	Vocal "I Enjoy Being a Girl"	1st runner-up	Preliminary Swimsuit Award	Featured Performer for the 1962 Miss America Pageant
1960	Claudette Smith	Star City	18	Miss Pine Bluff	Vocal
1959	Suzanne Jackson	North Little Rock	19	Miss University of Arkansas	Vocal
1958	Sally Miller	Pine Bluff			Classical Vocal "Caro Nome" from Rigoletto	Semi-finalist		Competed in the 1959 Miss Dixie Pageant
1957	Suzanne Scudder	Hot Springs		Miss University of Arkansas	Vocal
1956	Barbara Banks	Little Rock			Interpretive Ballet "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue"	Semi-finalist	Prelminary Talent Award
1955	Charlene Bowers	Helena
1954	Sarah Martin	Little Rock			Classical Vocal
1953	Helen Reed	Fayetteville			Tap Dance
1952	Bonnie Nicksic	Hot Springs			Vocal / Dance "Life Upon the Wicked Stage" from Show Boat
1951	Charlotte Simmen	Little Rock			Vocal & Art Exhibition	3rd runner-up	Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1950	Mary Jennings	Hot Springs			Classical Vocal "Un Bel Di" from Madame Butterfly	3rd runner-up	Preliminary Swimsuit	was a featured soprano with the New York City Opera, judged the 1989 and 1991 Miss America pageants
1949	Barbara Brothers	Little Rock			Painting Display & Poetry Recitation "Old Black Joe" & "I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy"	Semi-finalist
1948	Van Louis McDaniel	Forrest City			Monologue "Spartan Parents"
1947	Pam Camp	Little Rock			Sketching
1946	Rebecca McCall	Blytheville			Vocal "Put the Blame on Mame"	1st runner-up	Preliminary Swimsuit Award
1945	Leslie Hampton	Lake Village			Vocal "My Man"
1944	Mineola Graham	Brinkley
1943	Dorris Love	Jonesboro			Dramatic Reading "Letter to a Soldier"	Semi-finalist
1941	Ferol Amelia Dumas	Magnolia
1940	Betty Benson	Forrest City
1939	Jean Thompson	Helena
1938	Lorene Bailey	Jonesboro			Piano "Dinah"
1933	Vivian Ferguson		20					disqualified - married
1925	No Miss Arkansas							Virginia Bowers competed as Miss Little Rock in the Miss America Pageant

References

1. ^ "Contact". http://www.missarkansas.org/contact.htm. Retrieved May 2, 2011. 
2. ^ Ware, Hames (July 13, 2009). "Rhonda Lee Oglesby Coullet (1945–)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2983. Retrieved July 23, 2010. 

External links

• Miss Arkansas official website