The Miss America beauty pageant has become one of the most important scholarship contests for women in the country since its inception in 1921. It is more than just a crown; it is a way for young women with big dreams to fight for what they believe in. It is also an opportunity for them to show off their skills and get money for school. The group has given out more than $5 million in cash scholarships and millions more in other types of scholarships. This makes it one of the biggest scholarship providers for women in the world. The pageant has a long history of honoring a wide range of intelligence, talent, and service, from the first winner, Margaret Gorman, to the most recent Miss America.
Who Won Miss America 2026?
The Miss America 2026 title was awarded to Miss New York, Cassie Donegan. She was crowned on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, Florida. Donegan succeeds Miss America 2025, Abbie Stockard of Alabama. According to a press release on the official Miss America website, Donegan, a passionate advocate for arts education, wowed the judges with her vocal performance in the talent competition. She is the 98th woman to hold the prestigious title and the eighth Miss New York to earn the crown, continuing the state's strong legacy in the competition. She also won a $50,000 scholarship that will help her pay for graduate school.
Here are the Top 5 Finalists for Miss America 2026! 👑
— Miss America (@MissAmerica) September 8, 2025
Congratulations to our newly crowned Miss America 2026, Cassie Donegan from New York!
⭐️ 1st Runner-Up: Texas
⭐️ 2nd Runner-Up: Florida
⭐️ 3rd Runner-Up: Georgia
⭐️ 4th Runner-Up: Alabama
📸: @houstonmphotography pic.twitter.com/hGKlztCOcV
List of Miss America Winners from 1921 to 2026
Here is a year-by-year list of every woman to hold the title of Miss America, including their crowning date and age as per the official source:
| Year | Crowning Date | Miss America Winner | Age at Crowning | State Represented |
| 1921 | September 8, 1921 | Margaret Gorman | 16 | District of Columbia |
| 1922 | September 8, 1922 | Mary Katherine Campbell | 16 | Ohio |
| 1923 | September 7, 1923 | Mary Katherine Campbell | 17 | Ohio |
| 1924 | September 6, 1924 | Ruth Malcomson | 18 | Pennsylvania |
| 1925 | September 12, 1925 | Fay Lanphier | 19 | California |
| 1926 | September 10, 1926 | Norma Smallwood | 18 | Oklahoma |
| 1927 | September 9, 1927 | Lois Delander | 16 | Illinois |
| 1933 | September 9, 1933 | Marion Bergeron | 15 | Connecticut |
| 1935 | September 7, 1935 | Henrietta Leaver | 18 | Pennsylvania |
| 1936 | September 12, 1936 | Rose Coyle | 21 | Pennsylvania |
| 1937 | September 11, 1937 | Bette Cooper | 17 | New Jersey |
| 1938 | September 10, 1938 | Marilyn Meseke | 21 | Ohio |
| 1939 | September 9, 1939 | Patricia Donnelly | 19 | Michigan |
| 1940 | September 7, 1940 | Frances Marie Burke | 19 | Pennsylvania |
| 1941 | September 6, 1941 | Rosemary LaPlanche | 17 | California |
| 1942 | September 12, 1942 | Jo-Carroll Dennison | 19 | Texas |
| 1943 | September 11, 1943 | Jean Bartel | 20 | California |
| 1944 | September 9, 1944 | Venus Ramey | 19 | District of Columbia |
| 1945 | September 8, 1945 | Bess Myerson | 21 | New York |
| 1946 | September 7, 1946 | Marilyn Buferd | 21 | California |
| 1947 | September 6, 1947 | Barbara Jo Walker | 21 | Tennessee |
| 1948 | September 11, 1948 | BeBe Shopp | 18 | Minnesota |
| 1949 | September 10, 1949 | Jacque Mercer | 18 | Arizona |
| 1951 | September 8, 1950 | Yolande Betbeze | 20 | Alabama |
| 1952 | September 8, 1951 | Colleen Kay Hutchins | 15 | Utah |
| 1953 | September 6, 1952 | Neva Jane Langley | 19 | Georgia |
| 1954 | September 12, 1953 | Evelyn Ay | 20 | Pennsylvania |
| 1955 | September 11, 1954 | Lee Meriwether | 19 | California |
| 1956 | September 10, 1955 | Sharon Ritchie | 18 | Colorado |
| 1957 | September 8, 1956 | Marian McKnight | 20 | South Carolina |
| 1958 | September 7, 1957 | Marilyn Van Derbur | 20 | Colorado |
| 1959 | September 6, 1958 | Mary Ann Mobley | 21 | Mississippi |
| 1960 | September 12, 1959 | Lynda Lee Mead | 20 | Mississippi |
| 1961 | September 10, 1960 | Nancy Fleming | 18 | Michigan |
| 1962 | September 9, 1961 | Maria Fletcher | 19 | North Carolina |
| 1963 | September 8, 1962 | Jacquelyn Mayer | 20 | Ohio |
| 1964 | September 7, 1963 | Donna Axum | 21 | Arkansas |
| 1965 | September 12, 1964 | Vonda Kay Van Dyke | 21 | Arizona |
| 1966 | September 11, 1965 | Deborah Bryant | 19 | Kansas |
| 1967 | September 10, 1966 | Jane Jayroe | 19 | Oklahoma |
| 1968 | September 9, 1967 | Debra Barnes | 20 | Kansas |
| 1969 | September 7, 1968 | Judith Ford | 19 | Illinois |
| 1970 | September 6, 1969 | Pamela Eldred | 21 | Michigan |
| 1971 | September 12, 1970 | Phyllis George | 21 | Texas |
| 1972 | September 11, 1971 | Laurie Lea Schaefer | 21 | Ohio |
| 1973 | September 9, 1972 | Terry Meeuwsen | 23 | Wisconsin |
| 1974 | September 8, 1973 | Rebecca King | 24 | Colorado |
| 1975 | September 7, 1974 | Shirley Cothran | 21 | Texas |
| 1976 | September 6, 1975 | Tawny Godin | 22 | New York |
| 1977 | September 11, 1976 | Dorothy Benham | 21 | Minnesota |
| 1978 | September 10, 1977 | Susan Perkins | 24 | Ohio |
| 1979 | September 9, 1978 | Kylene Barker | 22 | Virginia |
| 1980 | September 8, 1979 | Cheryl Prewitt | 22 | Mississippi |
| 1981 | September 6, 1980 | Susan Powell | 21 | Oklahoma |
| 1982 | September 12, 1981 | Elizabeth Ward | 22 | Arkansas |
| 1983 | September 11, 1982 | Debra Maffett | 25 | California |
| 1984 | September 17, 1983 | Vanessa Williams (Resigned) | 20 | New York |
| 1984 | July 23, 1984 | Suzette Charles | 21 | New Jersey |
| 1985 | September 15, 1984 | Sharlene Wells | 20 | Utah |
| 1986 | September 14, 1985 | Susan Akin | 21 | Mississippi |
| 1987 | September 13, 1986 | Kellye Cash | 21 | Tennessee |
| 1988 | September 12, 1987 | Kaye Lani Rae Rafko | 24 | Michigan |
| 1989 | September 10, 1988 | Gretchen Carlson | 22 | Minnesota |
| 1990 | September 9, 1989 | Debbye Turner | 24 | Missouri |
| 1991 | September 8, 1990 | Marjorie Vincent | 25 | Illinois |
| 1992 | September 7, 1991 | Carolyn Sapp | 24 | Hawaii |
| 1993 | September 19, 1992 | Leanza Cornett | 21 | Florida |
| 1994 | September 18, 1993 | Kimberly Clarice Aiken | 18 | South Carolina |
| 1995 | September 17, 1994 | Heather Whitestone | 21 | Alabama |
| 1996 | September 16, 1995 | Shawntel Smith | 24 | Oklahoma |
| 1997 | September 14, 1996 | Tara Holland | 24 | Kansas |
| 1998 | September 13, 1997 | Kate Shindle | 20 | Illinois |
| 1999 | September 19, 1998 | Nicole Johnson | 24 | Virginia |
| 2000 | September 18, 1999 | Heather French | 24 | Kentucky |
| 2001 | October 14, 2000 | Angela Perez Baraquio | 25 | Hawaii |
| 2002 | October 20, 2001 | Katie Harman | 21 | Oregon |
| 2003 | September 21, 2002 | Erika Harold | 22 | Illinois |
| 2004 | September 20, 2003 | Ericka Dunlap | 21 | Florida |
| 2005 | September 18, 2004 | Deidre Downs | 24 | Alabama |
| 2006 | September 17, 2005 | Jennifer Berry | 22 | Oklahoma |
| 2007 | January 29, 2007 | Lauren Nelson | 20 | Oklahoma |
| 2008 | January 26, 2008 | Kirsten Haglund | 19 | Michigan |
| 2009 | January 24, 2009 | Katie Stam | 22 | Indiana |
| 2010 | January 30, 2010 | Caressa Cameron | 22 | Virginia |
| 2011 | January 15, 2011 | Teresa Scanlan | 17 | Nebraska |
| 2012 | January 14, 2012 | Laura Kaeppeler | 23 | Wisconsin |
| 2013 | January 12, 2013 | Mallory Hagan | 24 | New York |
| 2014 | September 15, 2013 | Nina Davuluri | 24 | New York |
| 2015 | September 14, 2014 | Kira Kazantsev | 23 | New York |
| 2016 | September 13, 2015 | Betty Cantrell | 21 | Georgia |
| 2017 | September 11, 2016 | Savvy Shields | 21 | Arkansas |
| 2018 | September 10, 2017 | Cara Mund | 23 | North Dakota |
| 2019 | September 9, 2018 | Nia Franklin | 25 | New York |
| 2020 | December 19, 2019 | Camille Schrier | 24 | Virginia |
| 2022 | December 16, 2021 | Emma Broyles | 20 | Alaska |
| 2023 | December 15, 2022 | Grace Stanke | 20 | Wisconsin |
| 2024 | January 14, 2024 | Madison Marsh | 22 | Colorado |
| 2025 | January 5, 2025 | Abbie Stockard | 22 | Alabama |
| 2026 | September 7, 2025 | Cassie Donegan | 27 | New York |
The list of Miss America winners is a testament to the competition's enduring legacy. From empowering women through education to championing important social causes, each titleholder has left her unique mark on this iconic American tradition. The pageant continues to be a platform for women to showcase their skills, advocate for change, and inspire future generations.
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