The very first Miss America contest took place in 1921 — here's what that first pageant was like
Underwood Archives/Getty Images
The 99th Miss America 2020 pageant will be held on December 19.
It originally started in 1921 as a way to keep tourists in Atlantic City after Labor Day.
It's now a huge organization that prides itself on handing out scholarships.
While this year's Miss America takes place on December 19, the competition has traditionally been held the weekend after Labor Day, commonly signaling the end of summer and beginning of fall.
Miss America first took place in 1921. Designed to attract tourists to Atlantic City, New Jersey, there weren't many rules (yet) — in fact, winners were partially judged on applause. Back then, only a handful of women participated, but the pageant grew quickly. In the almost 100 years since, it has become a huge organization that provides scholarships to women, and encourages female empowerment.
The Miss America pageants of the '20s are a far cry from what they are today. Keep scrolling to see what some of the very first Miss America pageants looked like, from funny costumes to modest swimwear.
The first Miss America pageant took place on September 8, 1921.
AP Images
This year's pageant will be held in December. The reigning Miss America is Nia Franklin, the former Miss New York.
It was held on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, and started as a way to keep tourists around after Labor Day.
Buyenlarge/Getty Images
In 1920, the city put on a Fall Frolic event, to modest success. They decided to go even bigger the next year and make it a two-day event.
Thousands of people came to see the spectacle.
AP Images
By 1923, over 300,000 people were flocking to the boardwalk to see the pageant.
It actually started out as two pageants: the Inter-City Beauty Contest and a Bather's Revue.
Bettmann/Getty Images
The Inter-City Beauty Contest was meant for amateurs, while professional models and actresses entered the Bather's Revue.
The Inter-City Beauty Contest received over 1,000 entries from around the US in the form of photographs.
Bettmann/Getty Images
The first prize was being crowned "Golden Mermaid" and receiving a trophy. Prizes given to runners-up were swimsuits and trophies designed by Annette Kellerman, a swimmer trying to popularize the one-piece swimsuit in lieu of bloomers. She was famously arrested in 1907 for indecency — she wore a bathing suit that bared her arms and legs — and her involvement in the pageant was quite scandalous at the time.
Of those entries, six were chosen to represent their city, known as "key cities." These women officially competed in the Inter-City Beauty Contest on the boardwalk.
Bettmann/Getty Images
Notably, the contestants were all unmarried. To this day, Miss America contestants aren't allowed to be married, though a 1999 rule change allowed divorceés to enter.
The winner was based partly on applause, and partly on the judges' decisions.
Underwood Archives/Getty Images
Underwood Archives/Getty Images
Now, contestants are judged on a more complex set of factors, like "leadership, talent, communication skills, and smarts."
The first winner was Miss Washington, D.C., Margaret Gorman.
Bettmann/Getty Images
Gorman was just 16 at the time. Now, contestants must be at least 17 (though no older than 25).
Gorman then entered the Bather's Revue, which was composed of the Inter-City contestants and professional models.
Bettmann/Getty Images
Gorman also won a trophy in the Boardwalk Parade for her appearance, showing how popular she was with the spectators.
Gorman won that too, and took home the Golden Mermaid trophy.
Bettmann/Getty Images
"I never cared to be Miss America. It wasn't my idea. I am so bored by it all. I really want to forget the whole thing," Gorman said later of her win.
Gorman entered the contest again the next year, but since the title of Washington D.C. had already gone to a new representative, they had to come up with something new: She was allowed to compete as Miss America, and the title was born.
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
She competed again in 1922 and 1923, but was ultimately succeeded by Mary Katherine Campbell, who held the crown for two years.
Read more:
THEN AND NOW: How the Miss America pageant has changed over the years
37 photos of Miss America winners being crowned through the years
Here's how Miss America, Miss USA, and Miss Universe are different
Read the original article on Business Insider
