Miss Universe Contest Shows Way for race Accord – Jet August 04, 1966

While several other cities were embroiled in bitter racial conflagrations, Miami Beach, Florida, host city for the 15th Miss Universe beauty pageant, made the 1966 contest a model for good relations among the 59 white contestants. For the first time, all the girls were housed without regard to race or country. Neither did all nonwhite contestants get a special hostess as before.

While several other cities were embroiled in bitter racial conflagrations, Miami Beach, Florida, host city for the 15th Miss Universe beauty pageant, made the 1966 contest a model for good relations among the 59 white contestants. For the first time, all the girls were housed without regard to race or country. Neither did all nonwhite contestants get a special hostess as before. During the coronation ball, tradition was shattered even further when negro marines paraded with the white they selected as escorts according to country and contestant’s height. Similarly white marines escorted all Negro contestants, except Miss Bahamas, the only nonwhite contestant with a Negro escort.