The legacy began, April 4th,
1987 when the first Miss Black Iowa USA
Pageant was held in Des Moines, Iowa.
The birth of the Miss Black Iowa USA
pageant was destined to attract strong,
talented, and civic-minded women of
color and give them a platform from
which to shine, grow, and serve.
Stemming from Miss Black USA Pageant and
Scholarship Foundation, Incorporated, a
non-profit corporation operating in the
state of Maryland, the Iowa affiliate
was founded by Debra Carr, a native
Iowan.
A Vision of Empowerment
Debra had an optimistic vision of
empowering African American women by
providing a state platform to spotlight
their knowledge, talent, intellect and
beauty and present what Iowa had to
offer to the entire world. She viewed
this as an outstanding opportunity to be
a servant for her community and to
inspire young women to serve their
communities while also pursing her
passion to empower African American
women.
She envisioned that the title of “Miss
Black Iowa” would not only represent
countless avenues for one to
explore—learning from unique
experiences, networking with many
influential people in and out of the
state, and offering a local, state and
national platform – it would also give
young women the opportunity to discover
their personal strengths, enhance
positive self esteem and character and
truly get involved with the community.
A heart for service is a must
An Iowa Queen must have fervor to
positively impact the people around her,
and to be an active servant and role
model in the community. Ladies honored
with the Miss Black Iowa USA title have
served as public figures and volunteered
their time, talent, and true desire to
be of service in various capacities
within their communities. They also use
their civic platform to promote
awareness of health, education, and
other vital issues during their reign.
Partnering with Miss Black USA
In addition title holders may also
earn the right and privilege to
represent Iowa in the national Miss
Black USA Pageant. The Miss Black USA
Pageant and Scholarship Foundation, Inc.
is a non-profit corporation that is
recognized under the 501 © 3 code of the
Internal Revenue Service. The Miss Black
USA organization has honored minority
women across America with scholarships
to encourage their pursuit of higher
education for the past 20 years.
Following this same path, the Miss Black
Iowa USA Pageant winners have especially
linked their knowledge, skills and
talents to non-profit, community and
faith-based organizations, and public
and private entities that share some of
the same goals and ambitions – striving
to make Iowa a better place for all.
The Miss Black Iowa USA Pageant is a
community driven organization.
Partnerships developed have focused on
academic excellence, leadership,
community and civic activities to
include focused tutoring in reading and
math, guidance in money management for
youth, and other major initiatives that
also focus on the betterment of
society.
Former Miss Black Iowa USA Queens
As the on-going list of beautifully
talented women grows, paying homage to
all the lovely ladies that came before
is necessary. Our
former Iowa
queens are as follows:
