Support Miss Black Indiana's quest to be crowned queen at the Miss Black USA pageant on August 7, 2005. Send all contributions to: Whitney Rogers P.O.Box 2547 Gary, Indiana 46403-2366. You can also e-mail me at missblackindiana2005@yahoo.com for details on how you can play a special role in my pursuit of the crown!

I was born into the union of Michael and Tonia Rogers on December 14, 1979. A native of Chicago, Illinois, I have had the pleasures of being exposed to many life-altering experiences.

The youngest of two, and the only girl, I have had many opportunities of being involved in many extra-curricular activities and scholar programs while in school; as well as having the chance to travel and become fluent in a second language, which has helped me to develop into the person that I am today.

I attended private school my entire educational career, which I must say was a great experience. Once I began high school, I was still very shy and did not interact with many people until I became seriously involved in many activities that my high school had to offer. Attending an all-girls high school (Maria High School) allowed my personality to "shine through." I was heavily involved in sports during my four years in school; including basketball and track & field. During my last two years of high school I became involved in politics being elected student council vice-president my junior year and secretary during my senior year. Upon completion of graduation, I decided that I was going to enlist into the United States Air Force, but I changed my mind after my father challenged me to a semester of college.

Accepted into many colleges and universities, with academic and sports scholarships, I decided to take my father up on his challenge and moved to New Orleans, LA so that I could attend Dillard University. I decided to major in Criminal Justice while in school. After completing only two years, I decided to transfer, move to Indiana and complete my last two years at Lewis University in Romeoville, IL. Continuing to major in Criminal Justice, I added a minor of Sociology. I graduated on the dean's list two years later with my bachelor's degree in Criminal/Social Justice.

Since obtaining my bachelor's degree I have been employed with the State of Indiana - Department of Corrections; currently employed with the City of Gary - Gary Police Department - as a sworn full-time police officer (Gary, Indiana). I am currently enrolled in school, at the University of Cincinnati - Distance Learning Program, obtaining my Master's Degree in Criminal Justice. Upon graduation I plan to return to school to obtain my Doctrinal degree.

Other accomplishments that I have succeeded at have been becoming fluent in a second language, American Sign Language, being a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated; Fraternal Order of Police; Diabetes Association; MADD (Mother's Against Drunk Driving); and a program that I have developed DEAF (Delivering Education And Foundation). This program is targeted toward special needs children to make sure that they don't fall between the cracks of the educational system by supplying resources and additional assistance to them and their families.

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2005 Miss Black USA Pageant Information

For almost 20 years, the Miss Black USA Pageant and Scholarship Foundation Inc. has celebrated the essence of black women with its annual Miss Black USA Pageant. The national competition will be held from August 2-7 in Washington, D.C. and will center on the 51 state delegates who will engage in a series of promotional activities including fitness, talent, evening gown, and a question and answer session that will take place during the finals. The Miss Black USA Pageant is a star-studded event, complete with celebrity judges, performers, hosts and honored guests.

Miss Black USA

Additional Links

Children's Miracle Network

Interesting facts on Black contestants at beauty pageants

DID YOU KNOW?

Long before she won her Academy Award, Halle Berry, was the first runner-up in the 1986 Miss USA pageant and the first African American to represent the USA at the Miss World pageant.

Before she was a nationally syndicated talk show host, Oprah Winfrey was the first black woman to win Nashville's Miss Fire Prevention title. In 1971, she was named Miss Black Tennessee.

Today pageants are a hugely popular "sport" worldwide, with an estimated 700,000 contests held in the United States alone each year and 3-4 million entrants competing annually.

When it comes to the pageant world, consider these facts: There was no black Miss Universe until 1977, no black Miss USA until 1990. There was no black Miss America until 1983-84, and there was not even a black contestant at Miss America until 1970.

The follow are interesting tidbits of black contestants in a variety of pageants.

1962 - Miss Haiti 1962 becomes the first black woman to make the semifinals at the Miss Universe Pageant.

1968 - First Miss Black America Pageant is held in Atlantic City as a protest against the absence of black women in the Miss America Pageant.

1970 - Cheryl Browne, win the Miss Iowa title and becomes the first African-American woman to compete in the Miss America Pageant. Although she fails to make the semifinals, her achievement paves the way for the selection of the first black Miss America.

1977- In a major racial breakthrough, Janelle Commissiong of Trinidad-Tobago, becomes the first black woman to win the coveted Miss Universe title. The historic moment is televised live by satellite from the Dominican Republic.

1980 - Lenola Sullivan, Miss Arkansas, is the first African-American woman to make the top five at the Miss America Pageant. She also wins the swimsuit competition.

1983 - Marking the most important racial milestone in pageant history, Vanessa Williams becomes the first African-American to win the Miss America title. The next year, a media frenzy ensues after reporters reveal that Williams posed for sexually explicit pictures before her victory. When Penthouse publishes the photos, officials request that Vanessa step down. She resigns during a nationally televised press conference. William's first runner-up, Suzette Charles, becomes the second African-American woman to hold the title.

1990 - The decade begins with several racial milestones:

Carol Gist, Miss Michigan-USA, becomes the first African-American

woman to win the Miss USA title. Black women hold both the Miss USA and Miss America titles in the same title year (Carole Gist, Miss USA 1990, and Debbye Turner, Miss America 1990).

frican American women (Debbye Turner and Marjorie Vincent) win back-to-back Miss America titles (1990, 1991).

1991 - After appearing as a celebrity guest at the Miss Black America Pageant, world heavy weight boxing champion Mike Tyson is arrested for raping a contestant, Desiree Washington, during pageant week. After the national winner and other contestants claim he groped them, the pageant’s director labels the boxer a "serial buttocks fondler " and sues for damages. The case creates a media frenzy and Tyson is later convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison.

1993 - Kim Aiken, Miss America 1993, is the fifth African American Miss America. For the second time in pageant history, black women hold the Miss USA and Miss America titles simultaneously: Kenya Moore, Miss USA 1993, and Kimberly Aiken, Miss America 1994 (selected in September 1993).

2003 - Erika Harold was the Miss America of 2003. Raised in a small town, Harold and her siblings endured constant taunts and threats due to their biracial ethnicity. In the fall of 2004, she entered Harvard University's Law School.

Whitney Rogers - P.O.Box 2547 - Gary, Indiana 46403-2366