Susan Akin

Susan Akin
Born (1965-08-12) August 12, 1965
Meridian, Mississippi
Alma mater University of Mississippi
Title Miss University 1985
Miss Mississippi 1985
Miss America 1986
Predecessor Sharlene Wells
Successor Kellye Cash

Susan Akin (born August 12, 1965) is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Meridian, Mississippi who was Miss America 1986.[1]

Biography

Akin was a member of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women at the University of Mississippi.[2]

In the past, Susan traveled extensively with Bob Hope, performing at conventions both in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Susan has been politically active since her win and was formerly the spokesperson for the National Down's Syndrome Association, during which she spoke before many state legislatures and advocacy groups.[1] She now lives in Meridian, Mississippi. She is also the granddaughter of Bernard L. Akin, a conspirator of the Mississippi civil rights workers' murders of 1964.[3][4] The Meridian Star reported Akin's response to her grandfather's involvement:

When asked about some of the negative publicity she had received about her grandfather, Miss Akin commented, "That's something that doesn't involve me. I wasn't even born and can't be involved in this. And the people who have taken it out of context thinking they can drag me down, cannot and they're not.[5]

When the press asked about Akin's opinions of mixed marriages the New York Press reported:

"The new Miss America says she opposes mixed marriages ... I feel in mixed marriages it could be mainly up to the individual, but to me I feel at this time intermixing could lead to more problems ..."[6]

Before the pageant, computer modelling successfully predicted that Akin would be named Miss America, her odds set at 7 to 1.[7]

She appeared on a segment of Unsolved Mysteries.

Titles won

References

  1. 1 2 "Miss America : 1986". Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  2. "Ole Miss Pi Phi Web Site". Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  3. "What's Past is Past". Miami Herald. 3 October 1985.
  4. "Miss America's Family Once Linked to Civil Rights Slaying". The Modesto Bee. 3 October 1985. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  5. "Miss America 1986 Scrapbook: Miss America Comes Home". The Meridian Star. 18 October 1985. p. 30.
  6. "Miss America 1986 Scrapbook: Miss America Says No to Mixed Marriage Idea". The Meridian Star(New York AP). 18 October 1985. p. 29.
  7. "Professor's computer picks Miss Mississippi". Wilmington Morning Star. Wilmington, NC. Associated Press. September 10, 1985. p. 1D. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Sharlene Wells
Miss America
1986
Succeeded by
Kellye Cash
Preceded by
Kathy Manning
Miss Mississippi
1985
Succeeded by
Nan Sumrall
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/21/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.