Miss Indian America was a pageant from 1953 to 1989 that was part annual All-American Indian Days festival in Sheridan, Wyoming.[1] Each contestant was assessed on the basis of her appearance, communication skills, knowledge and practice of her culture, knowledge of tribal, federal and state governments and talent in traditional and contemporary tribal skills.
The reigning Miss Indian American was considered to be a cultural ambassador between Native Americans and non-Native Americans through speaking engagements, public appearances, participation in conferences of federal, state, local and tribal governments.
In 2017, Montana: The Magazine of Western History published a full history of the pageant.[2]
Winners
| Year | Winner | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Wanda Johnson | Navajo |
| 1988 | Bobette Kay Wildcat | Shoshone |
| 1987 | Linda Kay Lupe | White Mountain Apache |
| 1986 | Audra Arviso | Navajo |
| 1985 | Jorja Frances Oberly | Osage-Commanche-Nez Perce |
| 1984 | Anne-Louise Willie | White Mountain Apache-Paiute |
| 1983 | Debbie Secakuku | Hopi |
| 1982 | Vivian Juan | Tohono O'odham |
| 1981 | Jerilyn Lebeau | Cheyenne River Sioux |
| 1980 | Melanie Tallmadge | Winnebago-Minnesota Sioux |
| 1978-9 | Susan Arkeketa | Otoe-Missouria/Muscogee Creek |
| 1977 | Gracie Welch | Mohave-Chemehuevi-Yavapai |
| 1976 | Kristine Rayola Harvey | White Mountain Apache |
| 1975 | Deana Jo Harragarra | Otoe-Kiowa |
| 1974 | Claire Manning | Shoshone-Paiute |
| 1973 | Maxine Norris | Tohono O'odham |
| 1972 | Louise Edmo | Shoshone-Bannock |
| 1971 | Nora Begay | Navajo |
| 1970 | Virginia Stroud | Keetoowah Cherokee |
| 1969 | Margery Haury | Cheyenne-Arapahoe-Navajo-Sioux |
| 1968 | Thomasine Hill | Crow-Pawnee |
| 1967 | Sarah Johnson | Navajo |
| 1966 | Wahleah Lujan | Taos Pueblo |
| 1965 | Marcelle Ahtone | Kiowa |
| 1964 | Michele Portwood | Arapaho |
| 1963 | Williamette Youpee | Sisseton-Yankton Dakota |
| 1962 | Ramona Soto | Klamath |
| 1961 | Brenda Bearchum | Northern Cheyenne |
| 1960 | Vivian Arviso | Navajo |
| 1959 | Delores Racine | Blackfeet |
| 1958 | Not held | |
| 1957 | Ruth Larson | Gros Ventre |
| 1956 | Sandra Gover | Skidi Pawnee |
| 1955 | Rita Ann McLaughlin | Hunkpapa Lakota |
| 1954 | Mary Louise Defender | Yanktonai Dakota |
| 1953 | Arlene Wesley | Yakama Nation |
References
- ↑ "Years Later, Miss Indian America Pageant Winners Reunite". NPR.org. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- ↑ "MISS INDIAN AMERICA History Article". 28 August 2017.
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