I'm from the University of Missouri. Debye's reputation there was sky high. She was smart, hard working, ambitious, friendly to everyone and totally down to earth. Everyone in Columbia expected her to be Miss America.
Vanessa and Debby led the way for my Miss NY Nina Davuluri, from Syracuse, NY, winning. As a former local Miss America director in Binghamton, NY I was so overjoyed that she won. THESE WOMEN ALL DESERVE IT!!!
Debbye's selection as Miss America, after three previous unsuccessful tries at her state competition, underscores that perseverance reaps rewards. She was a class act and the nation's third, after Vanessa Williams and Suzette Charles, black Miss America. it's worth noting that Carole Gist of Michigan was named "Miss USA 1990" that year marking the first time that black women simultaneously held the titles at the same time.
Everyone at the University of Missouri had a lucky feeling about Debbie when she left for the Pageant. There were so many attractive qualities in her--intelligence, ambition, self-discipline, warmth, commitment to service and of course beauty. She also was totally down to earth; no airs about her. She went almost immediately into a high profile television news career but kept her commitment to being an animal doctor. She had and has it all.
I remember watching this miss America when I was just a kid. My eyes were laser focused on Debbye Turner. There was just something very magnetic about her and even though I had no idea I kept thinking she was going to win. Once she did win, I heard on David Letterman that he was told by people who worked on the Miss America show That she was going to be the next Miss America.
My favorite Miss America memory. I saw this telecast and thought that Debbye Turner had that special quality that helped her to win, and I was very happy for her.
Funny... I remember watching this pageant, and I always knew she would win! She was Beautiful, Talented, Classy, elegant, Intelligent and Regal! To me, the final result was no surprise!
Vanessa, Suzette, Debbye, Kimberly, and Marjorie are all beautiful woman with whom many black woman can identify. I think if you asked them, they would each tell you that they are proud to be counted as African Americans. More importantly, the standard of beauty for this contest has been raised to a new height because there is the rocognition of more that just one physical type. Yes? See Ebony, March, 2002 article on these 5 woman.
Debbie Turner was georgeous and talented. It was nice to see her and the first runner up being of Asian descent be the representations of Beauty and Talent in America. It was good also to see when Debbie gave up her crown they gave it to another woman of Black Descent Marjorie Judith Vincent. She was so smart, beautiful and talented. After that the got rid of the Miss Black America Pageant. There was no need for it anymore. Blacks were winning Miss Ameriaca, Miss USA and others. Thanks.
Isaiah Jones It was 1990, it was forced in order to be politically correct. It's the same thing as the 90's kids shows always had a kid in a wheelchair.
OH WOW my all time favorite Miss America! All were lovely. 3 of the top 5 have been very successful. Debbye is a vet and is an occasional correspondent, Virginia is a CNN Anchor, and Jeri became 7 of 9 on Star Trek Voyager.
Not long after her crowning, she came to my University. She was so nice and took pictures with all of us. I kept that photo in a frame in my living room for years until it was ruined in a flood. Some thought she was my sister, of course I was flattered...but we don't really look alike.
That's an interesting comment. So many people were angry about the scandal and mistreatment of Vanessa that I do not even remember Suzette taking a walk. I remember her coming out on stage and saying a few things to Gary and then the crowning. I just don't remember her taking a walk. She only served 4 weeks. She was a runner up and will always be seen that way by many.
They broke with tradition and should've just called the 1st runner-up and then the winner out of the remaining group. Debbie Turner won and Virginia Chao is a longtime news anchor living in San Diego, California.
@cutelilpooky Excuse me, when a person is biracial that means that the the person is half of one and half of the other!! As for Vanessa, she is indirectly mixed-hence the light coloring!!!!
@cutelilpooky - What's's your point? Is is that a small minority of dark-skinned blacks are ridiculed by their light-skinned counterparts? While you mentioned that, there are some light-skinned blacs that date only dark-skinned men/women. My friend/roommate is one. So, what's your point?
Being of Haitian immigrants doesn't make you blacker than the next. Wow, American reasoning ! Alot of Haitians have French heritage. Just search the Kompa videos on here and see.
@cutelilpooky notice that the two blacks in Vanessa Williams' batch were both light-skinned and the other couuld easily pass as Italian/White. The darkest of dark black people are even ridiculed by their own.
Miss Illinois, Jeri Ryan might have won this, but I watched this live back in 1989, during her song in the talent competition, her voice cracked badly at one point, think she lost crucial points on that. Nonetheless, Miss Missouri was so fine and classy, a worthy winner
