Born in the Bronx on July 16, 1924, the first Jewish Miss America, crowned in 1945,
Bess Myerson transformed the fame bestowed
upon her because of her beauty into an illustrious public career.
Miss America 1945
Although some of the judges received anonymous phone calls warning them not to vote for the Jewish contestant, Myerson was the favorite and won over the judges with her dark-haired beauty and musical talent.