Miss America 1921 known as the first Miss America pageant, at its start in 1921, an activity designed to attract tourists to extend their Labor Day holiday weekend and enjoy festivities in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Atlantic City's Inter-City Beauty Contest, as it was initially called, attracted over 1,500 photographic entries from around the country, all vying to win the "Golden Mermaid" award and cash prizes. With only 10 contestants, this would be the lowest number of contestants in the pageant's history.
Six "Inter-City Beauties," arrived in Atlantic City and entered a new event: The "Inter-City Beauty" Contest. It was judged in stylish afternoon attire not only by the judges, but also the public, who shared in 50 percent of the final score. Personality played a large role in the voting as masses of people surrounded each entrant to get to know her better and throw questions at them throughout the event. Later, the entrants were escorted and presented on the stage of the Keith Theatre on the Garden Pier.
The amateur prize, the Watkins Trophy, was awarded to Miss Washington, DC, Margaret Gorman, Miss Camden, Katherine M. Gearon placed second, receiving $100 in gold. A special professional prize, the Endicott Trophy, was awarded to Miss New York, silent film actress Virginia Lee.
An immediate hit with the crowds, the "Inter-City Beauties" were later judged head-to-head against two other "Beauty" winners in selected classes of the now famous Bather's Revue: an "amateur winner" from over two hundred local women and tourists, and a "professional winner," which included a field of eleven professional models and actresses. In this extravagant and much-hyped final event, Margaret Gorman won the Grand Prize: the Golden Mermaid trophy.
Gorman decided to enter the contest the following year and, since Washington, D.C. had already selected another contestant to represent their area in the 1922 contest, officials allowed Gorman to compete as "Miss America" just two weeks prior to the competition which marks the first time the title was actually used.
Results Placements Placement ContestantMiss America 1921 – Margaret Gorman1st Runner-Up Camden – Katherine M. Gearon2nd Runner-Up Newark – Margaret Bates3rd Runner-Up Ocean City – Hazel Harris
Awards Final results Contestant Amateur Beauty Camden, New Jersey – Katherine M. Gearon Bathers' Revue – Margaret Gorman Endicott Trophy – Virginia Lee Golden Mermaid Trophy – Margaret Gorman Professional Beauty – Virginia Lee Watkins Trophy – Margaret Gorman
Contestants
City Name Hometown Age Placement Special awards Notes Camden, New Jersey Katherine M. Gearon Camden 1st runner-up Amateur Beauty Award Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Emma Pharo Harrisburg Atlantic City, New JerseyEthel Charles Atlantic City New York City, New York Virginia Lee New York City 20 Endicott TrophyProfessional Beauty Award New YorkLucy Day Smith Newark, New Jersey Margaret Bates Newark 2nd runner-up Ocean City, Maryland Hazel Harris Ocean City 3rd runner-up Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Nellie Orr Philadelphia Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Thelma Matthews Pittsburgh Washington, D.C. Margaret Gorman Washington, D.C. 16 Winner Bathers' Revue AwardGolden Mermaid TrophyWatkins Trophy Later competed as Miss America 1921 in the 1922 and 1923 pageants
Notes
References
Secondary sources
External links Miss America official website