Miss Universe, Miss America, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA titles all won by black women in the same year for first time ever
This year, one of the world's biggest beauty pageants displayed a lot of diversity with 2019 being the first year ever that the Miss America, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe were all won by black women.
The winner of 2019 Miss Universe was Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa whose victory represented a lot more. Her win catapulted her into the history books alongside her fellow black beauty queens. Tunzi, 26, joins Miss America Nia Franklin, Miss USA Cheslie Kryst and Miss Teen USA Kaleigh Garris who also made history.
Winning the title of Miss Universe was a massive moment for Tunzi who used her closing statement to say that she rarely saw any women who looked like her in pageants when she was growing up. "I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me — with my kind of skin and my kind of hair — was never considered to be beautiful," she shared.
"I think it is time that stops today. I want children to look at me and see my face, and I want them to see their faces reflected in mine," she added. Tunzi had competed in the pageant with the intention to promote natural beauty, which also included her modeling her natural hair on the pageant stage.
Former first lady Michelle Obama took to Twitter to share an article from Essence, which revealed that four titles were won by black women. Obama dubbed the historic moment as '#BlackGirlMagic'. Oprah Winfrey also took to Twitter to congratulate Tunzi on winning and said, "Congratulations Miss South Africa, the new Miss Universe @zozitunzi! Agree with you...leadership is the most powerful thing we should be teaching young women today."
Many social media users also echoed the sentiments of Obama and Winfrey and took to Twitter to express their delight.
One user shared, "Miss USA looks like me! Miss Teen USA looks like me!! Miss America LOOKS LIKE ME!!!! MISS UNIVERSE LOOKS LIKE ME!!!!! I am so proud of my Queens."
