Date September 12, 1953 Placements 5 | Entrants 52 | |
Venue Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey Winner Evelyn Margaret Ay
Pennsylvania | ||
Miss America 1954, the 27th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 12, 1953. Though four women from the state had previously held the title (1924, 1935, 1936, 1940), Evelyn Margaret Ay was the first Miss Pennsylvania to be crowned Miss America, as the others had represented cities.
Actress and princess-to-be Grace Kelly was one of this year's judges.
A top 10 finisher in this pageant, Miriam Stevenson, then competed in 1954's Miss USA pageant representing South Carolina, won it, then proceeded to be crowned Miss Universe 1954.
And similarly, Carlene King Johnson, unsuccessful as Miss Vermont in the 1954 pageant, would later become Miss USA 1955. A year thereafter, Carol Morris, who as Miss Iowa did not place among the finalists in the 1955 Miss America competition, captured the Miss USA 1956 crown.