Hi queens! Black culture and black women are so diverse, beautiful, and multi-faceted, and we bring these elements with us everywhere we go, including pageantry! Because of our richness it can sometimes be difficult to decide where we best fit and thrive culturally in the world of pageantry. In this blog post we are going to compare and contrast historically black pageants and mainstream pageants. Sometimes as black women we feel obligated to compete in the historically black pageants that were created for us because of segregation, but there are more elements to consider when it comes to what kind of pageant you compete in. As someone who has competed in both black and mainstream pageants, I want to give you a summary of my experiences and the key differences that I’ve noticed over the years to help you make your decision.
Before we get started, let’s get some definitions out of the way. When I say black pageants I’m referring to pageants where you have to prove your African-American descent and/or pageants that are associated with historically black colleges and universities. A few titles that you may already be familiar with are Miss Black America, Miss Black USA, Miss Maroon and White, Miss Spelman College, Miss Alabama State University, Miss Howard University, etc. When I say mainstream pageants I’m referring to all of the other systems and titles that are not historically associated with advancing and preserving black education, beauty, and culture in America. Titles like Miss America and Miss USA fall into this category.
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, I’ve compiled a few categories to compare and contrast in order to help you decide which pageant type is the best fit for you culturally, black or mainstream…or maybe both? As you read this blog post it may also behoove you to think about how these categories may or may not be influenced by years of disadvantages and inequalities due to race relations in America.
Experience and organization of leaders
In my experience, the quality of organization, production, and expertise is definitely top tier in mainstream pageants compared to black ones. I’ve yet to come across a black pageant that was organized to the point of having dates, locations, and prize packages solidified before recruiting and encouraging girls to submit entry fees. I believe that because mainstream pageants have a broader spectrum and more popularity that they are forced to have their ducks in order, which in my opinion is how every organization should operate. I have also noticed that the experience of leadership from volunteers to directors is much more impressive and extensive in mainstream pageants compared to black pageants. In mainstream pageants your level of expertise and competitiveness is based on local, state, national, and international levels of success, and I don’t see this same concept applied to black pageants. What I do see is a concept of once you’ve done one pageant you’ve done them all, and we know it is a much more detailed experience than this. If I could summarize it plainly I would say that mainstream pageants view pageantry in levels and black pageants view pageantry on a singular level of culture. So if you value detailed organization and a good amount of pageant experience on all levels from your leaders, mainstream may be the way to go.
Male influence
I have noticed that black pageants have way more male involvement than mainstream pageants do. I believe that this is due to the fraternity and sorority relationships that are so prevalent in the black community, especially at the collegiate level. You have young, educated, handsome black men encouraging young, educated, beautiful black women to compete in pageants hosted by fraternities. Not only are these young black men encouraging young black women to compete but they are also playing active roles in directing, producing, choreographing, and chaperoning. It is a hands-on experience of young men treating young women like queens, building valuable friendships, and teamwork between men and women. In the past few years mainstream pageants have seen more male influence from coaches to directors but it does not come close to the Influence that black fraternities have in black pageants. If you value relationships between young men and women that are rooted in social and academic organizations then black pageants may be the way to go.
Your desire to create space for yourself and others
I think that this is one of the most important categories, and it basically boils down to where you want to create space for yourself and how you want that space to impact others. Questions that every pageant girl needs to ask herself are “Am I needed here? What impact can I realistically make here for myself and others? What barriers do I want to break and what message do I want to send with my presence?” I decided to compete in mainstream or white pageants instead of black pageants because I felt that I was needed more in that space. Black pageants will always be important because of the spaces that they created for us, but I felt that I was also worthy to be in the mainstream spaces too, and if I wanted to see more girls that looked like me in those spaces then I had to start with myself. And I knew that the path that I carved would not just be for me, but that the black girls who came after me would benefit from it too. I am a firm believer in taking up space in places that were not originally created for you in order to advance your opportunities and resources, but I understand that everyone is not. Creating space for yourself and others requires a lot of work that you may not see the fruit of, and that is not everyone’s calling or a cup of tea. Sometimes it is easier and less burdensome to go where you know you are already accepted versus fighting for acceptance, no matter how big or small that fight may be. Once you ask yourself how much fight you’re willing to give you’ll know where you fit culturally.
Wow factor as a contestant
Let’s face the facts, if you’re a black girl competing in a black pageant it will be harder for you to stand out because everyone is black! Although some mainstream pageants have a history of segregation, today, there’s more opportunity for black women to stand out in a positive way and be remembered by the judges not only for character but for physical appearance. Whether you have big natural hair, a unique shade of brown skin, a unique name, etc., it will benefit you more in a mainstream pageant versus a black one where these characteristics are more common. So if you depend on your looks to help you stand out or there is something unique about your appearance that is connected to your blackness, mainstream may be the way to go.
Just extra
Black pageants are the most extra and flamboyant things I have ever participated in! Everything from rehearsals, opening introductions, to choreography, pageant week events, and production entertainment is just over the top! In my opinion, it is almost like black pageantry is trying to overcompensate for not being included in mainstream. I am personally of the school of thought that less is always more, and some aspects of black pageantry are just excessive to me. But if you are a black woman who enjoys very hands-on and active experiences, with a big personality, who takes pride in being extra and fabulous, then black pageants may be your outlet to shine brighter than ever before.
Generational involvement
When I began competing in the Miss America Organization and later in Miss USA, something that I instantly noticed is that being involved in mainstream pageantry is like generational wealth, particularly for southern women. I noticed that I was competing with girls who’s grandmas, mamas, and sisters were also pageant girls and titleholders. I’ve competed for titles where all the women in a family held the franchise. Like many aspects of generational wealth, black pageants are trying to catch up in this area. Competing in pageants presents so many opportunities and resources for young women, and white women have realized the importance of keeping it in the family. Not only that, but after they compete they come back to serve. They franchise local pageants within mainstream systems, they build relationships in their community to gather support for said pageant, and they mentor the girls within their communities to produce more state and national titleholders, making them community heroes and the starting point of success for so many titleholders. Although there are absolutely legacy queens in black pageantry, the aspect of coming back to serve and female generational involvement does not compare to mainstream. If you have not only a heart for competing but also serving the pageant world, and if this is a world that you can see you and the women in your family leaving your mark on, mainstream may be the way to go.
Popularity, exposure, and resources
The popularity, exposure, and resources of mainstream pageantry are unmatched. Mainstream pageants are televised and streamed, they have been around longer so they have more exposure and support, the prize packages and sponsorships are better because the titles are more well known, etc. Of course your pageant reign is what you make it and the right titleholder can absolutely elevate a system, but it’s nothing like stepping into a title that is already a household name. Black pageants do offer an exclusive experience to the black elite, high profile black celebrities, and exclusive black social and service clubs, but it is a very small circle with limited global recognition. You don’t see Miss Black USA traveling in the way that Miss USA does. Miss Black America does not make appearances in the way that Miss America does. Black pageantry like many other aspects of black culture is very close knit and closed off to the rest of the world. And I think that if it opens up a little bit, still keeping to history and tradition while becoming more visual, then that global recognition and support can be attained and maintained. If you want to be associated with a pageant system and have a title that is already a household name, already has endless support no matter who wears the crown, and already has the resources to help you elevate your personal brand, mainstream may be the way to go.
Advocacy
Another factor that I think is helpful in deciding where you fit culturally in the pageant world is your advocacy and the type of community service that you gravitate towards. Advocacy and platforms that influence and affect the black community in high volumes like maternal black health, stroke and heart disease among black women, The Crown Act, or illiteracy in communities of color tend to garner more support in black pageants because of how specific the topic is. The key to influential advocacy is it being narrow in topic and broad and involvement. People of other ethnic groups are aware of issues within the black community but are not sure what part they can play in making a difference. This causes advocacy specifically attached to the black community to fall short in the world of mainstream pageantry. Obviously, if you can figure out a way for everyone to participate and understand the importance of the advocacy then you will be able to find success, but if your advocacy is attached to very specific aspects of the black community, black health, black beauty, black education, etc., then competing in black pageants is the perfect outlet to expand the awareness around your platform and gain more resources for it.
All in all, there are pros and cons to competing in black pageants and mainstream pageants. Black pageants hold a lot of historical value and in many ways is its own little world. Mainstream pageants have the reputation, resources, and popularity to elevate any titleholder and help her reach her goals. Whatever side you culturally call home, what is most important is that all pageant girls treat themselves and each other with love and respect, lend a listening ear and open heart, and that we understand our history in order to make a better future. I hope you enjoyed this blog post, if you would like to watch the corresponding YouTube video to this blog post click the link below!
