Miss Black Texas, Oceilia Gibson, from Dallas, TX was crowned Miss Black USA 2011 on Monday, August 8, 2011 at the Historic Lincoln Theatre in Washington, DC. Calgon, the Presenting Sponsor of the event presented the winner with keys to a brand new car. Fifty of the most beautiful women in the nation competed for more than $20,000 in scholarships and prizes. The theme of this year’s event is “Shades of Africa” celebrating the diversity of Black women in America.
Miss Gibson holds a Bachelors of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies and is currently
pursuing a Masters of Art in Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
The event was hosted by comedian Gregory Poole and Deya Smith, Miss Black USA 1994, and featured 15 finalists.
All contestants competed in four areas of competition: Fitness Attire, Talent, Evening Gown and Onstage Question and Answer. The contestants were judged by a Celebrity Panel of Judges which included Roger Bobb, Producer (Bobcatt Films); Demetria McKinney (Actress, House of Payne), Crystal Langhorne, Washington Mystics (WNBA); Edwin Avent, Publisher (Heart & Soul magazine); b michael America (Celebrity Fashion Designer), John Blassingame (Publisher, Today’s Black Man) and Kalilah Allen-Harris, M.D., Former Miss Black USA 2007.
The top five finalists were: Miss Black Delaware (4th Runner Up); Miss Black Pennsylvania (3rd Runner Up); Miss Black Alabama (2nd Runner Up); Miss Black New Jersey (1st Runner Up) and Miss Black Texas (Winner) and the first Texas to capture the national title in the pageants 24-year history.
Sponsors of the event include Calgon, Tyler Perry Studios, VIP Smiles, b michael America, New York Conservatory, School for Television and Film and Heart & Soul magazine
The Miss Black USA Pageant and Scholarship Foundation®, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)3, founded in 1986 by Karen Arrington to provide educational opportunities to outstanding young women of color.
For more info: www.missblackusa.org
