60th Anniversary of Miss Universe Pageant History Part 4 - Past Winners

Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers.

The contest was founded in 1952 by California clothing company Pacific Mills. The pageant became part of Kayser-Roth and then Gulf and Western Industries, before being acquired by Donald Trump in 1996.

In 1998, Miss Universe changed its name from Miss Universe, Inc. to Miss Universe Organization and the headquarters moved from Long Beach California, to New York City that year. Donald Trump brought in a new team of professionals to the contest headed by its new CEO, Molly Miles, and president Maureen Reidy. The contest would use the slogan "Redefined for Today" for promotion of the pageants.

The current Miss Universe is Ximena Navarrete, from Mexico. She won the title on August 23, 2010.

The first use of the title "Miss Universe" was as part of International Pageant of Pulchritude which began in 1926. These events, the first international contests, lasted until 1935 when the Great Depression and other events preceding World War II led to their demise. This pageant had no direct relationship with the modern event.

The winner of the later "Miss America 1951" pageant, Yolande Betbeze, refused to pose in a swimsuit from its major sponsor, Catalina swimwear. As a result, the brand's manufacturer Pacific Mills withdrew from Miss America and set up the Miss USA and Miss Universe contests. The first Miss Universe Pageant was held in Long Beach, California in 1952. It was won by Armi Kuusela from Finland, who gave up her title though not officially to get married, shortly before her year was complete. Until 1958 the Miss Universe title (like Miss America) was post-dated, so at the time Ms. Kuusela's title was Miss Universe 1953.

The pageant was first televised in 1955. CBS began nationally broadcasting the combined Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants from 1960 and, separately, from 1965. In 2003 NBC took over the television rights.

Miss Universe 2011, the 60th anniversary of the Miss Universe pageant, will be held at Credicard Hall, in São Paulo, Brazil on September 12, 2011.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• 60th
• Anniversary
• of
• the
• Miss
• Universe
• Pageant
• Part
• 1952
• 1953
• 1954
• 1955
• 1956
• 1957
• 1958
• 1959
• 1960
• 1961
• 1962
• 1963
• 1964
• 1965
• 1966
• 1967
• 1968
• 1969
• 1970
• 1971
• 1972
• 1973
• 1974
• 1975
• 1976
• 1977
• 1978
• 1979
• 1980
• 1981
• 1982
• 1983
• 1984
• 1985
• 1986
• 1987
• 1988
• 1989
• 1990
• 1991
• 1992
• 1993
• 1994
• 1995
• 1996
• 1997
• 1998
• 1999
• 2000
• 2001
• 2002
• 2003
• 2004
• 2005
• 2006
• 2007
• 2008
• 2009
• 2010
• 2011
• 2012
• Contestants
• Delegates
• Candidates
• Sao
• Paulo
• Brazil

[andresland182]

WOW the reaction of Kerry Ann Wells that scene is a treasure

[muerteresurreccion]

The true date of begining Miss Universe was in 1926 with the name of International Pageant of Pulchritude(see Wikipedia).

[muerteresurreccion]

Poca gente sabe que Gladys Zender nació en Contamana - Loreto.

[brady9318]

congratz to miss universe 2006 zuleyka rivera from puerto rico

she's having a baby

good luck 

[jradetzky]

@gule1990 yeah, epic fail

[jradetzky]

@gusboysf most of the Latinas are white too, just different mind software

[jradetzky]

chicks were more shapely in the old days

[willyyo99]

LA PRIMERA LATINOAMERICANA ES Y SERA SIEMPRE MS PERU GLADYS ZENDER URBINA MS UNIVERSE 1957. HERMOSA.

[UnicoDelaTorre]

Philippines :DDDD

[soldadodemarte22]

tal vez en el 92,93,y08 la corona que les ganaron a las colombianas las ganaron mujeres muy lindas pero en el 94 si se lo merecia