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Bess Myerson (born July 16, 1924, Bronx New York) in 1945 became the first Jewish person 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.

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.

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.

She has survived ovarian cancer, a very lethal disease, and diagnosed in 1973. She also suffered a stroke many years later.

Contents 1 Politics 2 Later years 3 References 4 External link

[edit] 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 briefly a slogan by the other side, from which Mario Cuomo distanced himself.)

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 Javitz ran as a Liberal, splitting the left of center opposition to d'Amato, who narrowly defeated Holtzman. After her loss, in a remarkable assessment, Myerson claimed that she seemed "too tall and beautiful" to be a Senator.

[edit] Later years

In the 1980s, Myerson's life was darkened by a messy legal controversy that is the subject of a full length book, Alexander (1991). In recent years, she has promoted social causes and engaged in philanthropy.

[edit] 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.

[edit] External link

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

Preceded by: Venus Ramey

Miss America 1945

Succeeded by: Marilyn Buferd