Miss America 1947, the 21st Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 6, 1947. Barbara Jo Walker was the last Miss America to be crowned in her swimsuit, as well as the last contestant to represent just a city, rather than her state. Margaret Marshall, representing Canada, captured the swimsuit competition and placed third overall in the pageant. The judges for the Miss America pageant were Win Barron (Paramount's representative in Canada), Vincent Trotta (head of National Screen Service art department), Walter Thornton (head of the Walter Thornton Model Agency), and Arthur William Brown (noted illustrator).
Results Placements
Placement Contestant Miss America 1947 Memphis – Barbara Jo Walker 1st Runner-Up – Elaine Mary Campbell 2nd Runner-Up – Margaret Marshall 3rd Runner-Up – Peggy June Elder 4th Runner-Up – Laura Jean Emery Top 15 – Wanda Jo Law – Evelyn L. Murray – Pepper Donna Shore – Delores Mendes – Raven Malone – Jo Ann Amorde Pittsburgh – Lillian Handford – Georgia Jean Cunningham – Joan Elizabeth Estep – Dorothy June McKay
Awards Preliminary awards Awards Contestant Lifestyle and Fitness Alabama - Peggy June Elder (tie) Canada - Margaret Marshall Kentucky - Evelyn L. Murray New York City - Raven Malone (tie) Talent Memphis - Barbara Jo Walker Miami - Pepper Donna Shore Minnesota - Elaine Mary Campbell
Other awards Awards Contestant Miss Congeniality Texas - Luna Lynn McClain
Contestants +TitleNameHometownAgeTalentPlacementAwardsNotes AlabamaPeggy June ElderGadsdenVocal, "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now"3rd runner-upPreliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Peggy June Elder Butler died at age 93 on April 30, 2023 at home in Gadsden, Alabama. ArizonaWanda LawTempeTop 15 ArkansasPam CampLittle RockSketching AtlantaJoy Elizabeth SmithAtlantaVocal, "Eccentric Dance"BrooklynLynn FauneBrooklynVocal, "I Come from Brooklyn" CaliforniaLaura EmerySalinas18Vocal, "So Long for so Long"4th Runner-up CanadaMargaret MarshallToronto2nd Runner-upPreliminary Lifestyle & Fitness AwardChattanoogaDorothy CunninghamTap Dance ChicagoJoan HiattChicagoVocal, "Kiss in the Dark" ColoradoJoyce HaycockPuebloVocal, "Chi-Baba" ConnecticutLouise BienvenuWaterburyVocal, "On the Sunny Side of the Street"DetroitJane Rose FosterDetroitVocal, "My Dream Came True" District of ColumbiaMargaret Wilson19Dance, "Mexican Hat Dance" FloridaEula Ann McGeheeSt. PetersburgMagic Act GeorgiaRobbie SaulsCuthbertVocal, "Smilin' Through"Greater PhiladelphiaKay McClanePhiladelphiaVocal, "Sketching" IdahoNorma BriggsPocatelloDrama, Romeo & Juliet IllinoisMarce EvansJolietDress Design & Art IndianaBeverly TrenaryGaryVocal, "I'll Close my Eyes" IowaRuth Janet AndersonOelwein19Vocal, "You Made Me Love You" KansasRuth Ellen RichmondFort ScottVocal, "Wonderful One" KentuckyEvelyn L. MurrayLouisvilleSambaTop 15Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness AwardLos Angeles CountyMarilyn DavidsonLos AngelesVocal/Dress Design, "A Sunday Kind of Love" LouisianaRuth Mary BlustNew OrleansVocal, "This Song is You"LouisvilleMargaret Allen HillLouisvilleVocal/Piano, "It Had to be You" MarylandCarolyn Jean DixonCumberlandVocal, "It Had to be You"MemphisBarbara Jo WalkerMemphis21Art Display & Vocal Medley, "One Kiss" & "Un Bel Di" from Madama ButterflyWinnerPreliminary Talent AwardMiami BeachPepper ShoreMiamiInterpretive Dance of the South SeasTop 15Preliminary Talent Award MichiganPeggy EllsworthReed CityVocal, "She's Funny That Way" MinnesotaElaine CampbellMinneapolisClassical Vocal, "Je Veux Vivre" from Roméo et Juliette1st Runner-upPreliminary Talent Award MississippiKitty BaileyOxfordPainting MissouriMary Jean BurkeKansas CityVocal, "I'm a Big Girl Now" MontanaCarol ChaffenCorvallisClassical Vocal, "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" from Samson and Delilah New HampshireBernice LoiselleManchesterRumba Dance New JerseyDelores MendesNewarkVocal & Guitar Medley, "I Close my Eyes" & "Siboney"Top 15 New YorkCarol FredericksHarrisonTap Dance New York CityRaven MaloneNew York CityVocal, "Put the Blame on Mame"Top 15Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award North CarolinaAlice WhiteFayettevilleVocal, "That's My Desire" OhioNancy NesbittClevelandVocal, "I Don't Know Enough About You"OmahaMadalyn Joyce KingOmahaTap DanceNon-finalist Talent Award OregonJo Ann AmordeSutherlinVocal, "Alice Blue Gown" from IreneTop 15Mother of Miss Oregon 1974, Juli Ann Berg PennsylvaniaDorothy GreshWilliamsportVocal, "Lover, Come to Me"PittsburghLillian HandfordPittsburghPainting DisplayTop 15 Rhode IslandEllen DiCenzoProvidenceVocal South CarolinaMargaret GriffinSpartanburgClassical Vocal South DakotaRoselyn Lea AndersonSaint OngePiano, "'O Sole Mio" TennesseeGeorgia CunninghamTap DanceTop 15 TexasLuna McClainLufkinVocal, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" & "Cowboy Boogie"Miss Congeniality UtahDonna SouthwckCedar CityDrama, Piano, Vocal, & Dance VermontBarbara CampbellMontpelierVocal, "Blue Skies" VirginiaRuth Ellen MearsCape CharlesSpeech West VirginiaJoan Elizabeth EstepWheelingPiano, "Rhapsody in Blue"Top 15 WisconsinGladys Elaine BerkleyBaraboo19Monologue Gladys Elaine Berkley Stracy died of a brief illness in Madison, Wisconsin at age 38 on September 10, 1965. WyomingDorothy McKayCheyennePainting ExhibitionTop 15
References
Secondary sources
External links Miss America official website