Who are the women you remember learning about in school?
If you grew up in America (like me), you probably learned about Susan B. Anthony, Betsy Ross, Rosa Parks…and a handful of others.
There are so many interesting women whose stories we don’t know.
And this month, I’m curious to learn — and share some of them with you.
This week, we begin with the story of Yolande Betbeze, who has been described as the ‘most badass Miss America.’
Read on to find out how she earned that title…
On September 9, 1950, Yolande Betbeze was crowned Miss America.
A beautiful, convent-educated 21-year-old, Yolande was the first Miss America to hail from Alabama, and the first to be crowned wearing an evening gown — not a bathing suit.
Although “not into pageants” Yolande had dreams of being an opera singer, and entered the Miss Alabama competition hoping to win a scholarship so she could study music in New York.
Women had few ways to fulfil their dreams back then, and Yolande saw the pageant as a way “out of the South.”
She won the title of Miss Alabama, but when she made her way to the national pageant in Atlantic City, the trouble began.
Yolande found the other contestants intellectually wanting – and especially cutthroat.
One wrote ‘Hairy sits here’ in lipstick on Yolande’s mirror, referring to her thick eyebrows.
But Yolande won the pageant — and became a different kind of Miss America.
“There was nothing but trouble from the minute that crown touched my head,” she said in an interview with the Washington Post in 1969.
Before she entered the contest, Yolande had omitted to sign a contract that required the winner to model swimsuits made by the pageant’s chief sponsor, Catalina.
Yolande had won the pageant’s swimsuit competition, and Catalina expected her to model their bathing suits in her appearances as Miss America.
But Yolande had different ideas.
“I’m an opera singer, not a pinup!”
She refused to pose in a bathing suit again.
“It got on the front page of every newspaper in the world. It was unheard of to have a beauty queen refuse to pose in a bathing suit,” she said.
Catalina was furious.
Yolande recalled meeting a man representing Catalina who “stood up and fumed.”
“He said, ‘I’ll run you off the news pages. I’ll start my own contest. You’ll see.’”
“I said, ‘That’s splendid. Good luck to you.’”
Catalina did withdraw their sponsorship from the Miss America pageant – and began the rival ‘Miss USA’ pageant, too.
Despite the drama with Catalina, Yolande reigned as Miss America in 1951, making public appearances throughout the year — and earning $30,000.
She did study philosophy at the New School for Social Research in New York after her reign, and later married a wealthy movie executive.
Yolande became a fixture on the social scene, and formed tight friendships with movie stars like Marlene Dietrich and Elizabeth Taylor.
She never made a career as an opera singer, but did use her platform to highlight social issues – including civil rights and women’s rights – making her unpopular with the Miss America organizers.
In 1953, she participated in a vigil at Sing Sing prison to protest the execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. In the 1960s, she joined civil rights protesters picketing a Woolworth’s in New York’s Times Square to support black sit-ins at the store’s lunch counters in the South.
She also criticized the Miss America pageant for its lack of ethnic and racial diversity – and for perpetuating sexist attitudes.
“I’m a Southern girl,” she said, “but a thinking girl.”
“How could we say it’s Miss America if it’s not open to all Americans?”
In 1970, Miss America had its first Black contestant, and in 1983, its first Black winner with Vanessa Williams.
“I spoke out against the pageant when it was needed,” Yolande said in 2000.
“The pageant has changed, thanks to me.”
Yolande once told a reporter she hoped to write a memoir, but was delaying out of tact.
“There’s still too many people who aren’t dead yet,” she said.
Sadly, Yolande never wrote that memoir.
She died of lung cancer in 2016. She was 87 years old.
Yolande’s daughter, Dolly Fox, said she wanted her mother to be remembered for her incredible intelligence — and for fearlessly speaking out for what she believed in.
“I want her to be remembered for being before her time, being an educated, loving, generous person.”
“She always stood up for the underdog.”
Recent Work and Writing
Nicole Can’t Win — Nicole Kidman’s recent cover of Vanity Fair received a lot of attention. But what does the criticism say about how our expectations for women?
Seven Communication Lessons from Legendary Coach Phil Jackson — As we get closer to the wonderful time of year that is March Madness, here’s a little communication inspiration from the NBA coach Phil Jackson.
Janet Jackson Is Not The Woman Who Flashed Her Boob at the Super Bowl — Here’s what I want people to know about her.
Why is Communication So Important? — I joined Jeff Hunt on the Human Capital Goal Span podcast to talk about how communication can help you increase sales, build trust, solve problems, and improve performance.
How Can I Help?
Communication matters.
So many companies could reap so benefits – from performance and culture to retention and engagement – by improving their communication.
If you want to improve your communication (and get all the good things that come with that), I’m your gal.
I help clients with communication strategy, planning, and thinking.
And I do the ‘doing’, too.
I also teach people the skills to help them become better communicators and leaders through 1:1 coaching and team workshops (that are effective - and fun!).
So, if you know someone who could benefit from some help (as even the highest paid and most seasoned leaders do), please get in touch and check out my website for more information.
And if you see any communication examples (the good, the bad, and the ugly) that you think are worth analyzing or sharing, please send them my way!
Keep Smiling — and Stay Curious!
-Beth
The 'Most Badass Miss America'