Miss US Virgin Islands is a beauty pageant in the

US Virgin Islands The United States Virgin Islands, officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, are a group of Caribbean islands and a Territories of the United States, territory of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Isl ...

History

Between 1961 and 1978, the National Committee of Virgin Islands celebrated Miss Virgin Islands contest, in which the grand winners competed at the

Miss Universe Miss Universe is an annual international major beauty pageant that is run by a Thailand and Mexican-based Miss Universe Organization.Natalie Tadena (July 2, 2015"Donald Trump's Miss USA Pageant Lands on Reelz Cable Channel". ''The Wall Stree ...

and other beauty pageants. Beginning in 1979, the official name changed to Miss US Virgin Islands.

Franchise ownership and extended history

The Miss U.S. Virgin Islands competition began in 1956 when Miriam Edna Golden was crowned as the first Miss Virgin Islands in June 1956 (sponsored by Virgin Islands Hotel Association.) In 1961 was the second edition of Miss Virgin Islands, which saw the first international delegate Priscilla Bonilla representing the territory at Miss Universe 1961 in the United States. The pageant was then owned by Sam King (Owner of Pan American Finishing School) and the U.S. Virgin Islands Carnival Committee. In franchise history, Cherrie Raphaelia Creque has been the only Miss Universe U.S. Virgin Islands to place in the Top 12 at

. The only other international pageant finalist from the U.S. Virgin Islands has been Esonica Veira of St. Thomas, who was awarded 4th Runner up in

Miss Supranational Miss Supranational is an annual international beauty pageant, started in 2009, and with most contests held in Poland. A parallel male contest, Mister Supranational, was launched in 2016, also in Poland. The current organizers of Miss and Mist ...

in Minsk, Belarus in September 2013. Through the 1990s, franchise ownership of the Miss US Virgin Islands title belonged to The Lions Club of St. Thomas and also to Debra Gottlieb; a local staple in pageantry. In 2017, the Miss Universe U.S. Virgin Islands franchise was granted the license to Miss Universe Organization led by Lulu Orange Tyson of Lulu Orange, Inc. There was no known license holder of the Miss Universe U.S. Virgin Islands franchise pageant from 2020 to 2023. As of 2024, the franchise ownership transferred to Jaielean Jagroup with the main winner of the Miss USVI pageant going to Miss Universe in 2024 and 2025.

Titleholders

Representatives at Big Ten international pageants

Miss Universe US Virgin Islands

::''The winner of Miss US Virgin Islands represents the U.S territory at the

. Between 1961 and 1978 Miss Virgin Islands winners went to Miss Universe with a ''Virgin Islands'' sash before a constitutional referendum was declared. On March 6, 1979 the queen was officially referred to as Miss U.S Virgin Islands. The Miss US Virgin Islands represents the islands to

. The celebration of Miss US Virgin Islands was not held in 2000, 2003-2004, 2008-2009, 2012-2013, and in 2015. It made a return in 2016.''

Miss World US Virgin Islands

::''Between 1976 and 1980, it was unknown how the delegates representing the US territory were chosen. Between 1982 and 2005 the Miss American Virgin Islands went to Miss World. In 2010, the Miss World USVI committees appointed the delegate to Miss World 2010 in Sanya. From 2012-2016 the Miss US Paradise winner is the selected delegate to the

Miss World Miss World is the oldest existing international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951. Since his death in 2000, Morley's widow, Julia Morley, has co-chaired the pageant. Along with Miss Universe, Mi ...

pageant. In 2019, a separate pageant called Miss World USVI was held to select the delegate for the Miss World pageant.''

Miss Earth US Virgin Islands

Miss International US Virgin Islands

Miss Supranational US Virgin Islands

Miss Cosmo US Virgin Islands

Miss Grand US Virgin Islands

References

External links

missuniverseusvi.com
{{Miss Earth countries and territories

Recurring events established in 1961 Beauty pageants in the United States Virgin Islands United States Virgin Islands awards 1956 establishments in the United States Virgin Islands