Miss America through the years

Miss America 1921 contestants

Contestants in the first Miss America pageant in 1921 line up for the judges in Atlantic City, N.J., in their swimwear.

1921: Margaret Gorman

Margaret Gorman after being crowned the first Miss America at age 16 in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 14, 1921.

Miss America 1921 beauty contestants

Miss America contestants on Atlantic City's seafront in 1921. The pageant was won by 16-year-old marbles champion Margaret Gorman of Washington, D.C.

1922: Mary Katherine Campbell

Mary Katherine Campbell after being crowned Miss America 1922 at the second Miss America Pageant. The Columbus native won again in 1923.

1926: Norma Smallwood

Norma Smallwood, of Tulsa, Okla., after being crowned Miss America on Sept. 11, 1926.

1927: Lois Delander

Lois Delander after being crowned Miss America 1927.

1929: Ruth Burnham

Miss America contestant Ruth Burnham, of Great Lakes, poses proudly on Sept. 9, 1929.

1936: Rose Veronica Coyle

Rose Veronica Coyle, of Philadelphia, Miss America 1936.

1937: Bette Cooper

Bette Cooper after being crowned Miss America in 1937.

1938: Marilyn Meseke (Miss Ohio)

Marilyn Meseke, of Marion, Ohio, poses with other winners after she was crowned Miss America on Sept. 10, 1938.

1940: Frances Marie Burke

Detroit's Patricia Donnelly, Miss America 1939, crowns Philadelphia's Frances Marie Burke as Miss America on Sept. 7, 1940.

1943: Jean Bartel

Jean Bartel, of Los Angeles, was crowned Miss America in 1943.

1945: Bess Myerson

Miss America, Bess Myerson, of New York City, on a float during the victory parade in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 2, 1945.

Miss America 1946 contestants

Miss America contestants on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 4, 1945.

1951: Yolande Betbeze

Yolande Betbeze, of Mobile, Ala., after being crowned Miss America 1951 in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 9, 1950.

Miss America 1955 finalists

Ten finalists in the Miss America pageant line up on stage on Sept. 11, 1954.

Miss America 1960 contestant

Miss America, Lynda Lee Mead, of Natchez, Missouri, during the swimsuit competition at the pageant in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 13, 1959.

1968: Debra Dene Barnes

Debra Dene Barnes, of Pittsburg, Kan., poses on the throne after being crowned Miss America 1968 in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 9, 1968.

Miss America 1968 semifinalists

Ten semifinalists of the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 6, 1969.

1970: Pamela Anne Eldred

The new Miss America of 1970, Pamela Anne Eldred, of Michigan, poses with her court in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 6, 1969.

Miss Black America 1969: Saundra Williams

Saundra Williams, 19, center, of Philadelphia, was crowned Miss Black America 1969 at ceremonies in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 8, 1969. It wasn't until 1984 that an African-American contestant won the Miss America crown.

1971: Phyllis George

Miss America, Phyllis George, of Denton, Tex., is a bit shaken as she holds her crown -- which slipped off her head and bounced on the walkway, on Sept. 12, 1970.

1976: Tawny Elaine Godin

Miss America 1976, Tawny Elaine Godin, of Saratoga Springs, is crowned by Miss America 1975, Shirley Cothran, on Sept. 7, 1975.

1981: Susan Powell

Miss America 1981, Susan Powell, of Oklahoma, is crowned at the pageant in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 6, 1980.

Miss America 1984 contestants

Miss America 1984 contestants, including Vanessa Williams, pose on the beach in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 12, 1983.

Miss America contestants 1984

Three Miss America contestants, including Vanessa Williams, in the Atlantic City surf, on Sept. 13, 1983.

1984: Vanessa Williams

Vanessa Williams is crowned Miss America 1984 in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 17, 1983.

1984: Vanessa Williams

Kellogg's Corn Flakes featured Miss America Vanessa Williams on its boxes in 1984.

1984: Vanessa Williams

Vanessa Williams during her coronation walk after being crowned Miss America 1984 on Sept. 17, 1983.

1984: Vanessa Williams

Vanessa Williams, Miss America 1984, jumps for photographers on the beach in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 19, 1983. She is the first black Miss America in the pageant's history.

1986: Susan Akin

Susan Akin, of Meridian, Miss., is crowned Miss America 1986, on Sept. 14, 1985.

1997: Tara Dawn Holland

Miss America 1997, Tara Dawn Holland, of Kansas, is crowned by former Miss America, Shawntel Smith, at the pageant in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 14, 1996.

1997 Miss America contestants

Thirteen of the 51 Miss America contestants in front of a mural of Atlantic City and wave to the crowd that gathered outside the Atlantic City International Airport as they arrived for the 77th annual pageant on Sept. 1, 1997.

2000: Heather Renee French (Miss Kentucky)

Miss Kentucky, Heather Renee French, right, being named Miss America 2000 at the Atlantic City Convention Hall on Sept. 18, 1999.

2004: Ericka Dunlap (Miss Florida)

Miss Florida, Ericka Dunlap, in yellow, after being named Miss America 2004, on Sept. 20, 2003.

2005: Deidre Downs

Miss America 2004, Ericka Dunlap, crowns Miss America 2005, Deidre Downs, during the Miss America competition in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 18, 2004.

2006: Jennifer Berry (Miss Oklahoma)

Miss Oklahoma, Jennifer Berry, is crowned Miss America 2006 by outgoing Miss America 2005, Deidre Downs, at the Miss America pageant in Las Vegas on Jan. 21, 2006.

2007: Lauren Nelson (Miss Oklahoma)

Miss Oklahoma, Lauren Nelson, is crowned Miss America 2007 by Miss America 2006, Jennifer Berry, at the Miss America pageant in Las Vegas on Jan. 29, 2007.

2008: Kirsten Haglund

Kirsten Haglund celebrates after being crowned Miss America 2008 during the Miss America Pageant at the Planet Hollywood hotel and casino in Las Vegas on Jan. 26, 2008.

2009: Katie Stam (Miss Indiana)

Miss Indiana, Katie Stam, is crowned Miss America 2009 by Miss America 2008, Kirsten Haglund, in Las Vegas, on Jan. 24, 2009.

2010: Caressa Cameron

Miss America 2010, Caressa Cameron, of Virginia, appears for a meet-and-greet at DSW Union Square in Manhattan on Feb. 2, 2010.

2011: Teresa Scanlan

Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan, visits "Fox & Friends" at Fox Studios in Manhattan on Jan. 17, 2011.

2012: Laura Kaeppeler (Miss Wisconsin)

Laura Kaeppeler, Miss Wisconsin, poses being named the new Miss America during the 2012 Miss America Pageant at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Jan. 14, 2012.

2013: Mallory Hagan

The Miss America 2013 winner, Mallory Hagan, sings the national anthem before a basketball game between the Nets and the Miami Heat at Barclays Center on Jan. 30, 2013.

Miss America 2014 contestant Miss New York, Nina Davuluri, wins the Miss America Competition at Boardwalk Hall Arena in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 15, 2013.

Miss New York, Kira Kazantsev, was named Miss America 2015 on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2014, in Atlantic City, N.J. Her win marked the third year in a row that Miss New York walked away with a crown.

Miss Georgia, Betty Cantrell, is crowned Miss America 2016 by Miss America 2015, Kira Kazantsev, at the Miss America pageant, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015, in Atlantic City, N.J.

The outgoing Miss America, Betty Cantrell, back, crowns the winner, Miss Arkansas Savvy Shields, as Lynn Weidner, right assists during the Miss America 2017 pageant, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in Atlantic City, N.J.

Miss North Dakota, Cara Mund, celebrates after being crowned Miss America 2018 at Boardwalk Hall Arena in Atlantic City, N.J., on Sept. 10, 2017.