Miss Indian America

Pageant from 1953 to 1984 in Sheridan, Wyoming, US

Not to be confused with Miss India USA.

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Miss Indian America was a pageant from 1953 to 1989 that was part annual All-American Indian Days festival in Sheridan, Wyoming.[1] Each contestant was assessed on the basis of her appearance, communication skills, knowledge and practice of her culture, knowledge of tribal, federal and state governments and talent in traditional and contemporary tribal skills.

The reigning Miss Indian American was considered to be a cultural ambassador between Native Americans and non-Native Americans through speaking engagements, public appearances, participation in conferences of federal, state, local and tribal governments.

In 2017, Montana: The Magazine of Western History published a full history of the pageant.[2]

## Winners

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Year  | Winner  | Nation

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1989  | Wanda Johnson  | Navajo
1988  | Bobette Kay Wildcat  | Shoshone
1987  | Linda Kay Lupe  | White Mountain Apache
1986  | Audra Arviso  | Navajo
1985  | Jorja Frances Oberly  | Osage-Commanche-Nez Perce
1984  | Anne-Louise Willie  | White Mountain Apache-Paiute
1983  | Debbie Secakuku  | Hopi
1982  | Vivian Juan | Tohono O'odham
1981  | Jerilyn Lebeau  | Cheyenne River Sioux
1980  | Melanie Tallmadge  | Winnebago-Minnesota Sioux
1978-9  | Susan Arkeketa  | Otoe-Missouria/Muscogee Creek
1977  | Gracie Welch  | Mohave-Chemehuevi-Yavapai
1976  | Kristine Rayola Harvey  | White Mountain Apache
1975  | Deana Jo Harragarra  | Otoe-Kiowa
1974  | Claire Manning  | Shoshone-Paiute
1973  | Maxine Norris  | Tohono O'odham
1972  | Louise Edmo  | Shoshone-Bannock
1971  | Nora Begay  | Navajo
1970  | Virginia Stroud | Keetoowah Cherokee
1969  | Margery Haury  | Cheyenne-Arapahoe-Navajo-Sioux
1968  | Thomasine Hill  | Crow-Pawnee
1967  | Sarah Johnson  | Navajo
1966  | Wahleah Lujan  | Taos Pueblo
1965  | Marcelle Ahtone | Kiowa
1964  | Michele Portwood  | Arapaho
1963  | Williamette Youpee  | Sisseton-Yankton Dakota
1962  | Ramona Soto  | Klamath
1961  | Brenda Bearchum  | Northern Cheyenne
1960  | Vivian Arviso  | Navajo
1959  | Delores Racine  | Blackfeet
1958  | Not held  |
1957  | Ruth Larson  | Gros Ventre
1956  | Sandra Gover  | Skidi Pawnee
1955  | Rita Ann McLaughlin  | Hunkpapa Lakota
1954  | Mary Louise Defender  | Yanktonai Dakota
1953  | Arlene Wesley  | Yakama Nation

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Years Later, Miss Indian America Pageant Winners Reunite". NPR.org. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
2. ^ "MISS INDIAN AMERICA History Article". 28 August 2017.