Cover of Miss America, 1945: Bess Myerson's Own Story by Susan Dworkin

Bess Myerson (born July 16, 1924, Bronx, New York) in 1945 became the first Jewish woman to win the Miss America pageant. She appeared in various television shows in the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1970s and 80s, she was involved in New York City politics. Image File history File links Miss_America,_1945_Bess_Myerson_Cover. ... Image File history File links Miss_America,_1945_Bess_Myerson_Cover. ... July 16 is the 197th day (198th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 168 days remaining. ... 1924 (MCMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Bronx is one of the five boroughs of United States. ... NY redirects here. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination... Should not be confused with Miss USA. Miss America contestants visit Andrews Air Force Base in 2003 The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus two territories of the United States of America. ... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ...

While competing in beauty pageants, Myerson refused, despite entreaties, to employ a pseudonym that "sounded less Jewish". She faced prejudice even after winning the Miss America title, with many sponsors and events long associated with the pageant refusing to deal with her. She later campaigned for civil rights, in particular, working with the Anti-Defamation League. A beauty contest, or beauty pageant, is a competition between people, based largely, though not always entirely, on the beauty of their physical appearance. ... A pseudonym (Greek pseudo + -onym: false name) is an artificial, fictitious name, also known as an alias, used by an individual as an alternative to a persons true name. ... For with(out) prejudice in law, see Prejudice (law). ... Civil rights or positive rights are those legal rights retained by citizens and protected by the government. ... Anti-Defamation League Logo The Anti-Defamation League (or ADL) is an advocacy group founded by Bnai Brith in the United States whose stated aim is to stop, by appeals to reason and conscience and, if necessary, by appeals to law, the defamation of the Jewish people. ...

In 1954, Myerson was a panelist on The Name's the Same television game show, and from 1958 through 1967 was a panelist on I've Got a Secret. She also worked as an actress on other shows. The Names the Same was a gameshow produced in the black and white era, whose premise was simliar to Whats My Line?, but the panelists here had to guess the name of the person, which also described something (e. ... This article is about the television genre. ... Ive Got a Secret (abbreviated as IGAS) was a weekly panel game show produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman for CBS television and was created by Allan Sherman as essentially a knockoff of Whats My Line?. The original version of the show premiered in June 19, 1952... Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ...

She has survived ovarian cancer, a very lethal disease, and diagnosed in 1973. She also suffered a stroke many years later. Ovarian cancer is a malignant ovarian neoplasm (an abnormal growth located on the ovaries). ...

Politics

Myerson was New York City's first Commissioner of Consumer Affairs (under Mayor John Lindsay), later serving as Commissioner of Cultural Affairs under Mayor Ed Koch. In 1977, she was a frequent public companion of Ed Koch during his campaign for mayor, possibly to offset charges that Koch was gay. (Vote for Cuomo, not the homo was used as a slogan by some of Cuomo's supporters in New York's 1982 gubernatorial race, though Mario Cuomo himself reportedly did not endorse it.) Nickname: Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs The Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens Staten Island Settled 1625 Government  - Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area  - City  468. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... John Vliet Lindsay (November 24, 1921 – December 19, 2000) was an American politician who served as a Congressman (1959-1965) and mayor of New York City (1966-1973). ... Edward Irving Koch (born December 12, 1924; pronounced to rhyme with Scotch) was a United States Representative from 1969 to 1977 and the Mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989. ... Edward Irving Koch (born December 12, 1924; pronounced to rhyme with Scotch) was a United States Representative from 1969 to 1977 and the Mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989. ... Mario Matthew Cuomo (born June 15, 1932), a New York State Democratic Party politician, was the 52nd Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994. ...

In 1980, Myerson ran for the Democratic nomination for New York's U.S. Senate seat against Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman, Queens District Attorney John Santucci, and former New York City mayor John Lindsay. Myerson lost to Holtzman by a slim margin. Meanwhile, Alfonse D'Amato had defeated Jacob Javits, the incumbent, in the GOP primary. The ailing Javits ran as a Liberal, splitting the left of center opposition to d'Amato, who narrowly defeated Holtzman. After her loss, it was said that she seemed "too tall and beautiful" to be a Senator. Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Seal of the U.S. Senate Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      Senate composition following 2006 elections The United States Senate is... Elizabeth Holtzman (born August 11, 1941) is an American Democratic politician. ... John Vliet Lindsay (November 24, 1921 – December 19, 2000) was an American politician who served as a Congressman (1959-1965) and mayor of New York City (1966-1973). ... Alfonse Martello DAmato (born August 1, 1937) is a former New York politician. ... Jacob Koppel Javits (May 18, 1904–March 7, 1986) was an American politician. ...

Later years

In the 1980s, Myerson's life was darkened by a messy legal controversy. Her lover, who had been convicted of tax fraud, was accused of bribing a judge by giving her daughter a job in Myerson's department. Myerson was herself indicted and resigned her positions with the city of New York. She was ultimately acquitted, however, prior to her trial she was arrested for shoplifting at a Hills Department Store in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The scandal is the subject of a book by Alexander (1991). In recent years, she has promoted social causes and engaged in philanthropy. Hills Department Store was a Canton, Massachusetts-based department store chain that existed from 1957 to 2000. ... Map of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania highlighting South Williamsport South Williamsport is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. ... Philanthropy is the act of donating money, goods, time, or effort to support a charitable cause, usually over an extended period of time and in regard to a defined objective. ...

References

• Dworkin, Susan, 1987. Miss America, 1945: Bess Myerson's Own Story. ISBN 1-55704-000-1
• Shana Alexander, 1991. When She Was Bad. Dell.

Shana Alexander (October 6, 1925 - June 23, 2005) was an American columnist. ...

External link

• Bess Myerson on the Jewish-American Hall of Fame site