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Katie Harman Named Miss America 2002
September 23, 2001
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The 2001 Miss America pageant bore the burden of falling 11 days after the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. After much soul searching, ABC and the officials of the Miss America Organization decided to go ahead with the pageant, but annual Boardwalk Parade to be held the day prior was canceled.
The decision appears to have been a correct one. The pageant this year did much to restore America to a sense of normalcy following the almost surreal events of the past two weeks.
In this year's contest, Miss Oregon, Katie Harman, 21, was crowned Miss America 2002 in Atlantic City's Boardwalk Convention Hall. She is the first Miss Oregon to take home the title of Miss America. For the talent contest, Harman performed an aria from a Puccini opera. Harman won the talent competition in preliminary competition earlier in the week.
One of the innovations of this year's pageant was the introduction of a "Knowledge Quiz" to judge the top five finalists on their awareness of current events, U.S. history, and U.S. government. With the resurgent popularity of TV quiz shows such as "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," the "Knowledge Quiz" proved to be one of the more interesting parts of the pageant.
Television actor Tony Danza hosted the pageant, providing a refreshing change to some previous pageants. Danza came across as unpolished but provided a comfortable, easygoing style that has characterized his TV career. He joked with contestants, engaged the audience in banter, and at one point demonstrated his singing and dancing talents in a production number with the contestants.
Harman is a student at Portland State University, pursuing a degree in speech communication and vocal performance. She hopes to obtain a master’s degree in bioethics and ultimately work in health care management.
Miss America contestants are required to have a "platform" similar to a Presidential candidate (although the Miss America platforms generally make more sense than those of the politicians). Harman chose as her platform breast cancer, saying, "As Miss America 2002, I will use my influence to support women battling breast cancer, especially those who are struggling in the last days of their lives. I will support any program or initiative that conveys messages of hope, improves their quality of life and provides information, education and support to women who have been diagnosed."
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"This is something that struck very deeply within me," Harman said in her opening remarks at the morning-after-the-crowning press conference Sunday at the Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel. "I want to make sure that this tragedy does not bring down America. I want to be that role model that says, 'Yes, we are rising.' "
Robert Renneisen, CEO of the Miss America Organization, said of Harman, "I think she will become a national icon that people can rally around."
The first runner-up in the pageant was Abbie Rabine, Miss Massachusetts. Second runner-up was Stephanie Culberson, Miss Tennessee. Marshawn Evans, Miss District of Columbia was third runner-up. and Miss New York Andrea Plummer, who provided the only correct answer to the Statue of Liberty question, was fourth runner-up.
The remaining five contestants in the top 10 included Denae DeMasi, Miss West Virginia; Kelly Gaudet, Miss Florida; Jaclyn Hunt, Miss Utah; Jessie Ward, Miss Arkansas; and Stacy Essebaggers, Miss Michigan.
Some highlights in Miss America history:
1921 First Miss America Pageant is held.
1935 In an early move of political correctness, talent competition is added.
1940 The competition moves to the Convention Center, Atlantic City, which continues as its home today.
1943 First college student, Jean Bartel of UCLA, is crowned.
1945 First scholarship grant ($5,000) is awarded to Bess Myerson, the first Jewish woman and the first college graduate to serve as Miss America.
1947 Barbara Walker is the last Miss America to be crowned in a swimsuit.
1954 First nationally-televised Miss America Pageant kicks off the fourth longest running live event in the history of television.
1955 Bert Parks begins his 25-year tenure as Master of Ceremonies, inaugurating the coronation song "There She Is, Miss America."
1966 The telecast's move to NBC also marks the Pageant's first broadcast in color.
1966 Bert Parks is dumped as MC. Fans are outraged and talk show host Johnny Carson starts an unsuccessful "Bring Back Bert" campaign.
1984 Vanessa Williams becomes the first African-American Miss America.
1984 Vanessa Williams becomes the first Miss America to be fired after Penthouse magazine publishes nude pictures of her.
1989 Political correctness comes of age, as the platform program is introduced.
1994 Heather Whitestone, who is deaf, is the first woman with a disability to be crowned.
1997 The Miss America telecast moves to ABC for the first time in decades.
1997 Nicole Johnson, who has diabetes and wears an insulin pump, is the first woman with a "life-threatening condition" to win the title
2000 Angela Perez Baraquio is the first woman of Asian descent to win the title
2001 The "Knowledge Quiz" is introduced.