| "> | | | | interviews with Bob Baker, the legendary host of the |
| A Tribute to Haiti - The Magic Island | | | | universal telecast. It was the second time that the |
| Without a doubt, Haiti plays a significant part in Miss | | | | Island had qualified for the second round. In El Salvador, |
| Universe history, which kicked off in the States after | | | | she spoken fluent English, the official language of MU. |
| World War II. On the evening of July 14, 1962, the Island | | | | A time when a host of Latin American and Asian |
| of Haiti began to make a name for itself in the global | | | | delegates did not speak English. |
| telecast when the nation's contestant Evelyn Miot | | | | In the second round, she defeated such notable |
| caused sensation to become the first black girl to | | | | beauty queens as Carmen Elena Figueroa, the local |
| make the semi-finals in the Miss Universe pageant -the | | | | delegate, as well as Miss Colombia and Miss England. It |
| world's most prestigious beauty contest-- at Miami | | | | was a proud moment indeed when Miss Haiti 1975 |
| Beach, FL. Though it was its first international meet, the | | | | survived the second round and then qualified for the |
| Caribbean nation qualified for the second round. | | | | finals. In the final, she lost to Finland's Anne Marie |
| In addition to being one of the 15 semi-finalists in the | | | | Pohtamo, Princess Grace Kelly's look-alike. So, she left |
| States, she was one of the most popular entries from | | | | the National Gymnasium to a roaring ovation. |
| beginning to end the event. During Miss Haiti Evelyn | | | | David's impact in Miss Universe was immediate. She |
| Miot's visit to America, she once explained to an | | | | paved the way for the first black MU in history: On |
| interviewer why the Twist was popular on the Island: | | | | July 16, 1977, Trinidad-Tobago's Janelle Commissiong |
| "Real Haitians prefer the Twist. It is a good dance and | | | | -daughter of a Venezuelan mother and a Trinidadian |
| one can lose weight doing it". | | | | father-- was named MU by an international panel of |
| Besides all that, Miss Haiti 1962 was also one of the | | | | judges, led by the Dominican-born American fashion |
| first Caribbean delegates to compete in the second | | | | designer Oscar de la Renta. Eighteen years later, |
| round. This achievement was matched six years later | | | | Chelsi Smith, Miss United States 1995, matched |
| by Curacao's representative Anne Marie Braafheid. | | | | Commissiong's achievement in Windhoek, Namibia's |
| During the decades that followed, many black | | | | capital. |
| representatives have had the opportunity to compete | | | | 1975 -- A Golden Age |
| in the universal event, including five American delegates | | | | In 1975, too, the Caribbean nation - which boasts one |
| from 1990 until the late 2010s ( Carole Gist, Kenya | | | | of the lowest standards of living in the developing |
| Moore, Chelsi Smith, Shauntay Hinton and Crystle | | | | world-- also had a notable performance at Miss World |
| Stewart). By 1986, Brazil sent an Afro-Brazilian | | | | in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern |
| contestant to Miss Universe at Panama City. At the | | | | Ireland, making it the world's most successful country in |
| beginning of 2009, Chloe Mortaud became the second | | | | the international pageants in 1975, ahead of the United |
| black woman to be elected Miss France in the 21st | | | | States, Venezuela, Finland and Puerto Rico. By any |
| century. A decade ago, Lucbel Carolina Indriago Pinto, | | | | standard, it is a phenomenal achievement. |
| an Afro-Venezuelan girl, competed at the Miss | | | | In the British telecast, in November of that year, Joelle |
| Universe. In addition to MU, Halle Berry -now one of | | | | Apollon's attempt to achieve win the universal title, but |
| Hollywood's best-known celebrities- was 1st runner-up | | | | she finished sixth. She thus became one of the first |
| to 1986 Miss USA Universe. | | | | black women to make the semi-finals since the event |
| Gerthie David, A Pioneer | | | | was initiated in 1951 in the UK. At London, Apollon was |
| After Haiti's qualification in the early 1960s, the country | | | | the first and only Haitian to take part in the prestigious |
| did not compete again until 1968. In July of that year, it | | | | contest. Nonetheless, the Island's Miss World |
| got off to an inauspicious start in the first round when | | | | performance tailed off in the next decades. |
| Claudie Paquin was eliminated by an international panel | | | | Despite its success in the mid-70s, nonetheless, Haiti |
| of judges. In the subsequent decade, it sent only two | | | | declined to send a delegate to Miss Universe 1976 at |
| entries to MU. | | | | Victoria City, Hong Kong (Far East). So, the Caribbean |
| By the mid-70s, Haiti returned to the global contest with | | | | nation was the most notable absentee from MU. |
| promises to improve the Island's participation. During the | | | | Apparently because of its poverty and political |
| 1975 Miss Universe in Central America, an event | | | | problems, it also could not compete in London, home to |
| attended by El Salvador's then-Head of State Arturo | | | | the Miss World Organization. |
| Armando Molina, Miss Haiti, Gerthie David, advanced all | | | | Rosalynn Carter and Miss Haiti |
| the way to the final and then came in second place, | | | | After Haiti's participation in Central America, Francois |
| behind only Finland's Anne Marie Pohtamo, becoming | | | | Elie was named Miss Haiti, becoming the fourth beauty |
| the second black woman to reach the finals since its | | | | queen on the Island since 1962. But that was not all. To |
| inception in 1952. Since then, she wrote one of the | | | | mark the 25th anniversary of Miss Universe, the |
| finest stories in MU. | | | | Caribbean republic sent Elie to Santo Domingo, |
| Following the end of the First UN Conference on | | | | Dominican Republic -its only neighbor-- in July 1977; the |
| Women in Mexico City in mid-1975, San Salvador, El | | | | country's last international participation throughout the |
| Salvador, hosted the 24th Miss Universe. The | | | | 70s. In the telecast, however, the international judges |
| competition kicked off with interesting stories. Of all the | | | | dropped Elie from the semi-finals. |
| 71 entrants, only four were blacks: Bermuda (Donne | | | | During her interview with the press, she said that |
| Louise Wright), Haiti (David), Liberia (Aurelia Sancho) | | | | "Rosalynn Carter, First Lady of the United States |
| and the US Virgin Islands (Julia Florencia Wallace). | | | | between 1977 and 1981, was the most important |
| While Miss Israel, a soldier-turned-beauty queen, gave | | | | person of the world". |
| lessons of "Disco music", Miss Haiti used her time in | | | | Upon losing in the Dominican Republic, the nation |
| San Salvador to promote the Island, home to many | | | | returned to competition in the late 1980s. On that |
| superstitions and traditions. During a poll, Henry | | | | occasion, however, Miss Haiti 1989, Glaphyra |
| Kissinger was named as the "greatest person in the | | | | Jean-Louis, failed to qualify for the 38th Miss Universe |
| globe" by 22 entries, outpacing Gerald Ford (America's | | | | in Cancun, one of the world's most stunning beaches. |
| leader), Pope Paul VI, Indira Gandhi (India's Prime | | | | Haiti participated in MU until that time when the social |
| Minister) and Kurt Waldheim (UN Secretary General). | | | | problems forced the Island out of these events. |
| Mr Kissinger, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, had won | | | | At different events the Haitians have shown their |
| praise for backing the peace in Asia. | | | | talents. By the late 70s and early 80s, there were a |
| Since the onset of the international contest, USA, | | | | handful of success stories. During the 180th |
| Bolivia, El Salvador and Colombia were the | | | | anniversary of Haiti's independence, Sofia Guilloid, who |
| pre-pageant favorites to win the universal crown, at | | | | worked in the Haitian diplomatic service, gave the |
| that time a competition historically dominated by the | | | | Island its first gift: she returned from Las Palmas, |
| States and the Scandinavian countries. Of the | | | | Canary Islands (Spain) with the 1984 Miss Maja |
| twenty-three events held from 1952 to 1974, USA | | | | International title, the first time a Haitian had triumphed |
| gained four awards -1954, 1956, 1960 and 1967. | | | | there. A year ago, on December 5, 1983, Rachelle |
| At San Salvador, as many of her predecessors, | | | | Scott, the host country's delegate, caught her Island's |
| America's Summer Bartholomew -who had received | | | | attention by finishing second at the 1983 Miss Maja at |
| abundant mention in the Salvadoran media-- was one | | | | Port-au-Prince. The event was attended by the |
| of the most respected entries, following winning the | | | | nation's then-dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier and his wife |
| Miss Photogenic Award, together with Miss Colombia. | | | | Michèlle Bennett, one of the world's most beautiful |
| However, Haiti's David did not feel intimidated by "big | | | | First Ladies in the 20th century. However Haiti, of |
| names". In many ways, Miss Haiti Universe 1975 had | | | | course, has had other interesting credentials. During the |
| captured the admiration of the international jury -made | | | | 1978 Miss Ambar, which was held in Santo Domingo |
| up of 11 world-famous persons-- as no other black | | | | (DR), Faymi Hakime earned a chance to compete for |
| delegate had in years. The live telecast, which was | | | | the semi-finals. Previously, by 1977, Lominy Yoleñe |
| held at the National Gymnasium of San Salvador, had | | | | was second runner-up, behind Bolivia and Puerto Rico. |
| been notable for their international judges in | | | | Over the following decades, in Atlantic City (NJ), |
| comparison to other past events, which included Leon | | | | Haitian-born Marjorie Vincent was crowned Miss |
| Uris and Sarah Vaughan -the only black judge in El | | | | America 1991 -which was set up in 1921- by her |
| Salvador-- as well as Olympic gold medal winner Jean | | | | predecessor Debbye Turner (Missouri). |
| Claude Killy. America's author Uris rose to fame in 1958 | | | | The Return of Miss Haiti |
| when he wrote "Exodus"; meanwhile Vaughan was | | | | Following the earthquake, Haiti, backed by the United |
| referred to as "one of the most wondrous voices of | | | | States and the International Community, continues its |
| the 20th century" by Scott Yanow, an American jazz | | | | efforts to win a major image in the world. Under this |
| commentator. | | | | atmosphere, the Island has a new Miss Haiti Universe |
| Upon becoming one of the 12 semi-finalists, Miss David | | | | for the first time since the end of the Cold War. |
| -the only black semi-finalist-- boasted one of the best | | | | |