As soon as Jamaica’s 2019 Toni- Ann Singh was announced Miss World 2019, she joined the impressive roster of black women who hold some of the world’s most prestigious pageant titles this year; Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi, Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst, Miss Teen USA 2019 Kaliegh Garris and Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin. It is the first time that black women have held all these titles at once.
South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi made history when she was crowned Miss Universe 2019 last week i.e. on 7th December 2019. Zozibini was very vocal about the fact that she grew up in a world where a woman who was dark skinned was not considered beautiful. With winning the title she said, ‘That ends today. I want children to look at my face and see their own looking back at them.’ Zozibini opened about facing problems with people she worked with because she was told to wear a wig during the competition to which the beauty queen refused and let her natural hair be on display and wowed people with her confidence and poise.
During the question and answer round on Miss Universe 2019, Zozibini was asked about “What is the important thing that we should teach the young girls today?” The diva confidently said that she’d like to teach the young girl’s leadership. She explained that leadership is something that’s been lacking among young girls and women for a long time because of how society labels and sees them. Zozibini strongly believes that women are the strongest and powerful thing in this world and they should be taught to take up on the leader as there is nothing more important that taking up space in society.
Then, on 14th December 2019, Jamaica’s Toni Ann Singh’s crowning of Miss World 2019 added to the list of iconic wins in the history of the pageant. Toni Ann Singh hails from Jamaica but migrated to Florida at the age of 9 and before she entered the Miss Jamaica 2019 pageant, she relocated to Jamaica. She felt immensely proud representing Jamaica at an international level. She is the fourth contestant to win the title of Miss World from Jamaica. During the competition when she was asked “Why should you win the title of Miss World 2019?” Toni went onto answer the question by saying that she represents something special; a generation of women who are pushing forward to change the world. She explained that she won’t consider herself better than any other girls on the stage but would like to say that her passion towards women and them having opportunities just like she had made her different from others.
Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst and Miss Teen USA 2019 Kaliegh Garris also wore their natural hair and won the title early in the year. They joined Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin. The three wins became a powerful symbol of how much American views on beauty have evolved from past marred by racism and gender stereotypes. Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin said, “People will argue that race doesn’t matter. But race does matter in America, because of the history, because of slavery.”
These win by the beautiful and confident black women is considered as iconic and significant because of the beauty pageant industry’s troubled history with race as also mentioned by Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi that women of dark skin and afro hair were banned from participating in some of the biggest pageants, including Miss America and Miss USA.
Before Toni Ann Singh’s win at the Miss World 2019, Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst who was top 10 finalist at Miss Universe 2019, said that there are times when people on social media comment that they don’t understand why people are talking about their race because they are just four amazing women who won. Kryst explained that they fail to understand that, ‘Yes, we are four amazing women, but there was a time when we literally could not win!’.
Celebrities, philanthropist, critiques and every fan out in the world are appreciating the win of the black beauties at such prestigious beauty pageants. All five title-holding women represent a range of professional backgrounds and experiences. Kryst is an attorney with a law degree and an MBA from Wake Forest University who is working to reshape the criminal justice system. Tunzi has raised awareness of climate change and gender-based violence. Garris started the We Are People 1st organization, which aims to educate others about people, like her sister, who live with disabilities. Franklin has advocated for the preservation of arts education in school. And Singh, the most recent winner, wants to be a doctor.