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Miss America 1981

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Miss America 1981
Susan Powell, Miss America 1981
DateSeptember 6, 1980
PresentersRon Ely[1]
VenueBoardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
BroadcasterNBC
WinnerSusan Powell
 Oklahoma
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Miss America 1981, the 54th Miss America pageant, was held at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 6, 1980 on NBC Network. It was the first time Ron Ely hosted, replacing Bert Parks who had hosted for 25 years.[1] It was also historic as two black women, Lencola Sullivan of Arkansas and Doris Hayes of Washington, made the finals for the first time.[1]

The winner, Susan Powell of Oklahoma, later became co-host of the series Home Matters on the Discovery Channel.

Results

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Placements

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Placement Contestant
Miss America 1981
1st Runner-Up
2nd Runner-Up
4th Runner-Up
Top 10

Order of announcements

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Preliminary awards

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Awards Contestant
Lifestyle and Fitness
Talent

Other awards

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Awards Contestant
Non-finalist Talent

Delegates

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State Name Hometown Age Talent Placement Awards Notes
Alabama Alabama Paige Phillips Leeds 17 Vocal/Ventriloquism to "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" by Al Jolson 1st runner-up Preliminary Talent
Alaska Alaska Sandra Lashbrook Eagle River
Arizona Arizona Brenda Strong Tempe Actress in Desperate Housewives
Arkansas Arkansas Lencola Sullivan Morrilton 21 Vocal, "St. Louis Blues", composed by W.C. Handy 4th runner-up Preliminary Swimsuit First African-American contestant to place as a runner-up at Miss America[citation needed]
California California Robin Brooks Elverta
Colorado Colorado Kimberly Christiansen Arvada Non-finalist Talent
Connecticut Connecticut Jeanne Caruso Trumbull 21 Vocal/piano, Original song, "A Song for Tomorrow" Top 10 divorced Joe Theismann
Delaware Delaware Andra Lee Dickerson Newark
Florida Florida Caroline Dungan Bradenton
Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia Lynn Smith Savannah
Hawaii Hawaii Kanoelehua Cook Aiea
Idaho Idaho Leslie Taylor Burley
Illinois Illinois Blythe Sawyer Naperville Non-finalist Talent
Indiana Indiana Teri Kardatzke Anderson
Iowa Iowa Jane Patton Council Bluffs
Kansas Kansas K. Leann Folsom Wichita
Kentucky Kentucky Daphne Cochran Louisville
Louisiana Louisiana Martha "Missy" Crews Baton Rouge
Maine Maine Valerie Crooker Brunswick Miss Maine USA 1979
Maryland Maryland Lisa Marie Daskal Cumberland Non-finalist Talent
Massachusetts Massachusetts Amy Linder Lowell Non-finalist Talent
Michigan Michigan Heidi Hepler Livonia
Minnesota Minnesota Debra Goodwin Austin Preliminary Swimsuit, Non-finalist Talent
Mississippi Mississippi Donna Pope McNeil 24 Ballet on pointe to Overture from "Oklahoma!" 2nd runner-up (tie) Preliminary Swimsuit
Missouri Missouri Carla LaFevre Harrisonville
Montana Montana Lilly Cruise Miles City Non-finalist Talent
Nebraska Nebraska Paula Louise Mitchell Norfolk Non-finalist Talent
Nevada Nevada Phyllis Hamlin Reno
New Hampshire New Hampshire Diane McGarry Manchester
New Jersey New Jersey Therese Hanley Jersey City "Starting Here, Starting Now" by Barbra Streisand 2nd runner-up (tie)
New Mexico New Mexico Teresa Elizabeth Anderson Hobbs
New York (state) New York Cheryl Flanagan Rochester 18 Tap dance to Overture from "That's Entertainment, Part II" Top 10 Preliminary Talent
North Carolina North Carolina Janet Black Kannapolis Non-finalist Talent Top 5 at Maid of Cotton 1980
North Dakota North Dakota Karen Moe Minot
Ohio Ohio Kathy Vernon Youngstown 24 Vocal, "I Have Dreamed" from The King and I Top 10
Oklahoma Oklahoma Susan Powell Elk City 21 Operatic vocal, "Lucy's Aria" from Gian Carlo Menotti's opera "The Telephone" Miss America 1981 Preliminary Talent (tie)
Oregon Oregon Teresa Richardson Forest Grove Non-finalist Talent
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Anita Ellen Patton Lebanon
Rhode Island Rhode Island Dawn Potter Pascoag
South Carolina South Carolina Donna Jewell Columbia
South Dakota South Dakota Carol Barnett Sioux Falls
Tennessee Tennessee Sarah Leonard Jonesborough
Texas Texas Terri Eoff Lubbock 19 Dramatic Monologue from "A Bad Play for an Old Lady" by Elizabeth Lovett Top 10
Utah Utah Jean Bullard Provo
Vermont Vermont Carole Spolar St. Albans Non-finalist Talent
Virginia Virginia Holly Jereme Roanoke
Washington (state) Washington Doris Hayes Tacoma 20 Vocal, "Our Love Is Here to Stay" by George Gershwin Top 10 Preliminary Talent (tie) First African-American preliminary winner[citation needed]
West Virginia West Virginia Pamela Ellen Paugh Charleston Aunt of JonBenét Ramsey, Sister of Miss West Virginia 1977
Wisconsin Wisconsin Dana Spychalla Appleton
Wyoming Wyoming Susan Pennington Casper

Judges

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Miss Oklahoma is Miss America". The San Bernardino County Sun. Associated Press. 7 Sep 1980. p. 5. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
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