Miss North Carolina

the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA

Beauty pageant competition

The Miss North Carolina competition selects the representative for the state of North Carolina to compete in the annual Miss America competition. The competition has been held in High Point, North Carolina since 2021 and was previously held in Raleigh every year since 1978. Prior to that, it was held in various locales including Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston Salem, Durham, Burlington, Wilmington, and Morehead City. Taylor Loyd of Mooresville, North Carolina was crowned Miss North Carolina 2023 on June 24, 2023, at High Point Theatre in High Point, North Carolina. On January 14, 2024, she competed for the title of Miss America 2024 and placed in the Top 11 semi finalists.

The Miss North Carolina pageant celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2012. For pageant week, all living former Miss North Carolina titleholders were invited back for a reunion. The "Miss North Carolina Sisterhood" sponsored a special gala the night before the pageant on June 22, 2012. This was highlighted with a special exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of History and 43 former Miss North Carolinas (the oldest being Miss North Carolina 1946, Trudy Riley Kearny) coming to the week's events, including Miss America 1962, Maria Fletcher. In addition, all of the former titleholders were invited for a special honorary luncheon at the North Carolina Executive Mansion, the first luncheon held there since the 1960s. This also marked the first time in 17 years that the pageant has been televised throughout the state. It was televised on the special events channel of Time Warner Cable.

The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss North Carolina titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.

Year Name Hometown Age Local Title Miss America Talent Placement at Miss America Special scholarships at Miss America Notes2023 Taylor LoydMooresville, North Carolina22Miss StatesvilleOpera performance, “Amour, ranime mon courage” (The Poison Aria) from C. Gounod’s Romeo et JulietteTop 11Preliminary Talent AwardAt Miss NC, won talent preliminary, evening gown preliminary, overall rookie award2022Karolyn MartinCharlotte22Miss MetrolinaVocalAt Miss NC, won evening gown preliminary 2021Carli BatsonWilmington21Miss ClevelandDance, Lyrical en pointe to “The Impossible Dream.”Top Fundraiser 3rd PlaceAt Miss NC, won talent preliminary, won evening gown preliminary 2019–20 Alexandra Badgett Charlotte 22 Miss Jacksonville Tap Dance, "This Is Me" by Keala Settle Top 15 CMN Miracle Maker Award 1st runner upEquity & Justice Scholarship Award2018 Laura Matrazzo Chapel Hill St. Pauls 23 Miss Greater Sampson County Vocal, "I Will Always Love You" CMN Miracle Maker Award 1st runner up Former contestant on Star Search 2016 McKenzie Faggart Concord 21 Miss Mecklenburg County Lyrical Dance, "Rise Up" Non finalist Talent Award Previously Miss North Carolina's Outstanding Teen 2011Top 15 at Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2012 pageant 2015 Kate Peacock Dunn 19 Miss Dunn Tap Dance, "Proud Mary" 2014 Beth Stovall Goldsboro 20 Miss Greater Sampson County Classical Vocal, "Chi Il Bel Sogno di Doretta" from La rondine Non finalist Talent Award 2013 Johna Edmonds Lumberton 24 Miss Johnston County Vocal, "Somewhere" 2012 Arlie Honeycutt Garner 19 Miss Kinston Lenoir Vocal, "Someone Like You" from Jekyll & Hyde Duke of Edinburgh Bronze MedalNon finalist Talent Award 2011 Hailey Best Goldsboro 21 Miss Durham Operatic Vocal, "Art is Calling for Me" from The Enchantress by Victor Herbert Top 15 CMN Miracle Maker AwardDuke of Edinburgh Bronze Medal 2010 Adrienne Core Erwin 22 Miss Raleigh Contemporary Clogging, "Soul Man" Non finalist Talent AwardPreliminary Talent Award 2009 Katherine Southard Raleigh 23 Ballet en pointe, "Fascinating Rhythm" 2008 Amanda Watson 21 Miss Garner Vocal Quality of Life Award Finalist First Miss America contestant to choose ALS awareness as her platform 2007 Jessica Jacobs High Point 23 Miss Central Carolina Ballet en pointe, "Spring" from The Four Seasons 4th runner up 2006 Elizabeth Horton High Point 22 Miss Carolina Coast Operatic Vocal, "Je veux vivre" from Romeo and Juliet 2005 Brooke Elizabeth McLaurin Fayetteville 24 Miss Fayetteville Vocal, "I'll Never Love This Way Again" 2004 Kirstin Elrod Cary 23 Miss Carolina Foothills Semi classical Vocal, "Love Is Where You Find It" 2nd runner up 2003 Dana Reason Raleigh 24 Miss Greenville Tap Dance, "Rock This Town" Quality of Life Award 2nd runner up 2002 Misty Clymer Raleigh 24 Miss Western Piedmont Vocal, "Hold On" from The Secret Garden Top 15 Rebekah Revels St. Pauls Miss Fayetteville Vocal colspan=3 2001 Ashley House Dallas 20 Miss Lincoln County Celtic Irish Dance, "Flames of Fire" Died on December 24, 2017, at the age of 37 2000 Lorna McNeill Lumberton 24 Miss Topsail Island Vocal, "Natural Woman" Non finalist Talent Award 1999 Kelly Trogdon Asheboro 23 Miss Western Piedmont Vocal, "It's Time" 1998 Kelli Bradshaw Spivey's Corner 22 Miss Western Piedmont Ballet en Pointe, "PS 491" by John Tesh 1st runner up Preliminary Swimsuit Award 1997 Michelle Warren Gastonia 22 Miss Appalachian Valley Vocal, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" 1st runner up Preliminary Talent Award 1996 Jennifer Roberts Greensboro 21 Miss Thomasville Tap Dance, "Devil With a Blue Dress On" Non finalist Talent Award 1995 Lisa Bamford Raleigh 21 Miss Garner Classical Piano, Totentantz by Liszt Non finalist Talent AwardPreliminary Talent Award 1994 Dana Stephenson Garner 20 Classical Vocal, "Art is Calling for Me" from The Enchantress by Victor Herbert Non finalist Talent Award 1993 Mary Susan Runion Wilmington 24 Miss Spivey's Corner Tap Dance, "Luck Be a Lady" 1992 Heidi Sue Williams Wade 23 Miss Fayetteville Vocal, "Danny Boy" Quality of Life Award 1st runner up Sister of Miss North Carolina Teen USA 1993, Wendy Williams 1991 Jennifer Smith Mt. Airy 22 Miss Greater Raleigh Semi classical Vocal, "Half a Moment" from By Jeeves Top 10 1990 Scarlet Morgan Pfafftown 22 Miss Forsyth County Classical Vocal, "Vissi d'arte" from Tosca Non finalist Talent AwardPreliminary Talent Award 1989 Kelly Fletcher Morganton 21 Miss High Country Semi classical Vocal, "Half a Moment" 1988 Lee Beaman Rocky Mount 20 Miss Henderson Jazz en Pointe 1987 Lori Boggs Kannapolis 26 Miss Cabarrus County Popular Vocal, "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" Previously Miss North Carolina USA 1980 1986 Karen Bloomquist Durham 22 Miss Durham Piano 1985 Joni Parker Fayetteville 24 Miss Fayetteville Vocal, "The Shadow of Your Smile" 1984 Francesca Adler 23 Vocal, "Home"Mother of Miss America's Outstanding Teen 2018, Jessica Baeder 1983 Deneen Graham North Wilkesboro 19 Miss Elkin Valley Jazz Dance, "Sing, Sing, Sing" First African American Miss North Carolina 1982 Elizabeth Williams Shelby 22 Miss Greater Greensboro Semi classical Vocal, "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" from The Sound of Music Non finalist Talent AwardPreliminary Swimsuit Award 1981 Lynn Williford Wilmington 24 Miss Wilmington Russian Character Dance, "Czardas" Non finalist Talent Award 1980 Janet Ward Black Kannapolis 21 Miss Charlotte Mecklenburg Classical Piano, "Revolutionary Étude" by Frédéric Chopin Non finalist Talent Award 1979 Monta Maki Hickory 23 Miss Hickory Vocal, "You Light Up My Life" Preliminary Swimsuit Award 1978 Deborah Shook Spruce Pine 21 Miss Spivey's Corner Tap Dance, "Lover" Non finalist Talent Award Gained national attention by kicking her crown across the stage the next to last night of her reign in a disagreement with pageant sponsors, Raleigh Jaycees 1977 Kathy Fleming Hamptonville 22 Miss Appalachian State University Popular Vocal, "Everything" 1976 Susie Proffitt Black Mountain 22 Miss Rutherford County Tap Dance from Baby Face 1975 Susan Lawrence Thomasville 21 Miss Thomasville Vocal, "You And I" from Goodbye, Mr. Chips 1st runner up 1974 Susan Griffin High Point 22 Miss High Point Semi classical Vocal, "With a Song in My Heart" Non finalist Talent Award 1973 Heather Walker Hendersonville 19 Miss Hendersonville Popular Vocal, "The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener" 1972 Constance Dorn Kinston 19 Miss Kinston Ballet, "The Grand Holiday" 1st runner up Later Miss North Carolina USA 19752nd runner up at Miss USA 1975 pageant 1971 Patsy Wood Benson 24 Miss Garner Vocal, "I Believe it All" 1970 Cornelia Lerner Asheville 18 Miss Asheville Piano, "Revolutionary Étude" by Chopin Non finalist Talent Award 1969 Patricia Johnson Winston Salem 20 Miss Raleigh Semi classical vocal from Porgy and Bess Non finalist Talent Award 1968 Elisa Annette Johnson New Bern 19 Miss New Bern Vocal, "As Long as He Needs Me" from Oliver! Non finalist Talent Award 1967 Sarah Stedman Asheboro 22 Miss Randolph County Piano, Fantaisie Impromptu Non finalist Talent Award 1966 Nannette Minor Charlotte 23 Miss Charlotte Piano & Vocal 1965 Penelope Clark Sanford 19 Miss Sanford Classical Ballet, "Robina" 1964 Sharon Finch Thomasville 20 Miss Thomasville Vocal & Dance with Castanets 1963 Jeanne Swanner Graham 18 Miss Graham Comedy Sketch & Ukulele Miss Congeniality Judge at Miss America pageants in 1990, 1994, and 2000 Jeanne Flinn Swanner Robertson died unexpectedly on August 21, 2021, at age 77. 1962 Janice Barron Morganton 18 Miss Morganton Piano, "Revolutionary Étude" by Chopin 1961 Susan Woodall Miss Roanoke Rapids colspan=3 Maria Fletcher Asheville 19 Miss Asheville Tap dance to recorded version of herself singing "Somebody Loves Me" Winner Preliminary Swimsuit Award 1960 Ann Herring Winston Salem 19 Miss Winston Salem Vocal, "The Lonely Goatherd" from The Sound of Music 2nd runner up 1959 Judith Klipfel Asheboro 18 Miss Randolph County Vocal 1958 Betty Evans Greenville Miss Greenville Vocal, Piano, Skit, & Dance, "Wait till You See Her" 4th runner up Preliminary Swimsuit Award 1957 Elaine Herndon Durham Miss Durham Vocal & Dance Top 10 Preliminary Swimsuit Award 1956 Joan Melton Albemarle Miss Albemarle Piano 1955 Clara Faye Arnold Raleigh Miss Wake County Monologue, "Sabrina Fair" 3rd runner up Preliminary Swimsuit Award 1954 Betty Ring Lexington Miss Lexington Dramatic Monologue, "The Sleepwalking Scene" from Macbeth 1953 Barbara Crockett Winston Salem Miss Winston Salem Vocal, "Shine" 1952 Barbara Harris Salisbury Miss Salisbury Classical Vocal, "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" 1951 Lu Ogburn Smithfield Miss Smithfield Piano, "Malagueña" 2nd runner up Preliminary Swimsuit AwardPreliminary Talent Award 1950 Carolyn Edwards Leaksville Miss Tri City Monologue, "Rumba" by Dorothy Parker Top 16 1949 Nancy Lee Yelverton Rocky Mount Miss Rocky Mount Monologue, "A Delightful Dilemma" 1948 Patsy Osborne Lawndale Miss Shelby Vocal & Piano 1947 Alice White Fayetteville Miss Fayetteville Vocal, "That's My Desire" 1946 Trudy Riley Wilson Miss Wilson 1945 Dorothy Johnson Winston Salem Miss Winston Salem Recitation, "I Am Old Glory" Top 13 1944 Betsy Marie Dalton Winston Salem Miss Winston Salem 1943No North Carolina representative at Miss America pageant 1942 Hilda Taylor Goldsboro Miss Goldsboro 1941 Joey Augusta Paxton Charlotte 19 Miss Charlotte Swing Vocal 4th runner up Preliminary Swimsuit AwardPreliminary Talent Award Joey Augusta Paxton of Hallandale Beach, Florida died at 79 on September 17, 2002. 1940 Jeanne Wofford Forest City Miss Forest City 1939 Margaret Wood Miss North Carolina Vocal, "If I Didn't Care" Top 15 Preliminary Talent Award Marguerite Taylor Charlotte Miss Charlotte 1938 Rebecca Pearl Hankins 18 1937 Ruth Covington Miss North Carolina Tap Dance, "Gonna Go" 2nd runner up Betty Hunneycutt Charlotte Miss Charlotte Top 16 1936 Thelma Perkins Charlotte Miss Charlotte 1935No North Carolina representative at Miss America pageant 1934No national pageant was held 1933 Leola Councilman 20 1932No national pageants were held 1926 1925 1924 1923 Rose Hildebrand Asheville Miss Asheville 1921