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Black Beauties

Black Beauties

By Pellum PhD, Kimberly Brown

Published by The History Press

English 2020 ISBN 9781439668917
eBook

About this book

In 1984, Vanessa Williams broke the race barrier to become Miss America, but she was not the first Black woman to wear a pageant crown. Black beauty pageants created a distinctive and celebrated cultural tradition during some of the most dismal times in the country's racial history. With the rise of the civil rights and Black Pride movements, pageantry also represented a component of social activism. Professor Kimberly Pellum explores this glamourous and profound history with contributions by dozens of former contestants who share their personal experiences.
Language
English
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